Biking in HeelsBorn in Los Angeles, CA and raised in small town Georgia by parents from two distinct cultures allowed for an eclectic and international upbringing. Spending her childhood in a rural environment, gave ample opportunity for Melissa's creativity to thrive and grow.
Throughout primary and secondary school, Melissa found the most joy in art, dance, and music classes. She performed with the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony and Emory University Wind Ensemble throughout high school, and was selected for the Georgia Governor's Honors Program, music performance major, in 1999. Upon graduating from high school, Melissa attended the University of Georgia where she pursued studies in visual art and music performance. During her time at the Lamar Dodd School of Art, she discovered the art of printmaking, and thus began her journey into visual communication, print, and design. |
Knowing there was far more to learn and master before launching her career, Melissa pursued graduate studies at Arizona State University following completion of her BFA. At Arizona State University, Melissa taught undergraduate art foundations and design courses, in addition to community art classes for children, while pursuing her MFA in printmaking. As her artwork progressed, she expanded her coursework to include electronic music and experimental composition studies within the School of Music and physical computing and multi-modal environment design courses in the School of Arts, Media, and Engineering. Her trans-disciplinary studies greatly informed her thesis exhibition, which explored universal communication and communal experiences within a multi-modal interactive environment.
While in graduate school, Melissa received start-up funding from the university and launched her own entrepreneurial venture, Melissa McGurgan Design. With a natural gift for aesthetics, balance, and creative direction, Melissa specializes in creating communication products for creative entities, such as arts organization, higher education institutions, public art programs, artists, entrepreneurs, and fitness services. As an entrepreneur, Melissa has first-hand experience in business development, start-up culture, and developing and maintaining a client base. Melissa has had the opportunity to develop compelling campaigns and identity design for projects such as IN FLUX, Canal Convergence, California Institute for Integral Studies Public Programs, Grindset Fitness, and more. Her rich understanding of visual communication, coupled with her knowledge of design and marketing, enables Melissa to effectively represent and advance the agenda of her clients.
Upon completion of her MFA, Melissa was hired by the Dean's Office of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University to lead their community outreach education programs in Art, Dance, Architecture, and Design, including a new 21st Century grant funded afterschool program, ArtSpace, in partnership with the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. In 2010, Melissa joined the university outreach office, Access ASU, where she served as Associate Director, overseeing initiatives including summer programs for gifted and talented youth, university course options for high school students, scholarship programs, and undergraduate engagement. She managed multiple partnership and stakeholder relationships and worked closely with diverse populations, including first generation, low-income, gifted and academically talented, Hispanic, and Native American students and their families.
As of 2019, Melissa maintains a select list of design clients and serves as the Director of Marketing and Partnerships at the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies a private, non-profit, accredited, online university. At Cummings Graduate Institute, Melissa provides leadership to all institute marketing efforts including of branding and awareness, enrollment marketing and recruiting, website, advertising, social media, content development, vendor management, internal and external communications, strategy, and analytics. Additionally, she drives and contributes to the development of key institute initiatives including company culture, organization ecosystem, systems and process design, and partnerships.
Melissa's high level of productivity and achievement is fueled by her entrepreneurial spirit, innate drive, and gift of organization. If something doesn't exist in the way Melissa sees it, she makes it happen. If she doesn't know how to execute a task, she figures it out. And with all elements of her life, from spreadsheets, programs, events, systems, and campaigns, she never sacrifices aesthetic impact for efficiency or effectiveness. She is the ultimate creative strategist and designer, everyday, biking in heels.*
*Literally, Melissa biked to and from her office at ASU, 5 days per week, in 4-5" heels. Photographic evidence available by request.
While in graduate school, Melissa received start-up funding from the university and launched her own entrepreneurial venture, Melissa McGurgan Design. With a natural gift for aesthetics, balance, and creative direction, Melissa specializes in creating communication products for creative entities, such as arts organization, higher education institutions, public art programs, artists, entrepreneurs, and fitness services. As an entrepreneur, Melissa has first-hand experience in business development, start-up culture, and developing and maintaining a client base. Melissa has had the opportunity to develop compelling campaigns and identity design for projects such as IN FLUX, Canal Convergence, California Institute for Integral Studies Public Programs, Grindset Fitness, and more. Her rich understanding of visual communication, coupled with her knowledge of design and marketing, enables Melissa to effectively represent and advance the agenda of her clients.
Upon completion of her MFA, Melissa was hired by the Dean's Office of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University to lead their community outreach education programs in Art, Dance, Architecture, and Design, including a new 21st Century grant funded afterschool program, ArtSpace, in partnership with the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. In 2010, Melissa joined the university outreach office, Access ASU, where she served as Associate Director, overseeing initiatives including summer programs for gifted and talented youth, university course options for high school students, scholarship programs, and undergraduate engagement. She managed multiple partnership and stakeholder relationships and worked closely with diverse populations, including first generation, low-income, gifted and academically talented, Hispanic, and Native American students and their families.
As of 2019, Melissa maintains a select list of design clients and serves as the Director of Marketing and Partnerships at the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies a private, non-profit, accredited, online university. At Cummings Graduate Institute, Melissa provides leadership to all institute marketing efforts including of branding and awareness, enrollment marketing and recruiting, website, advertising, social media, content development, vendor management, internal and external communications, strategy, and analytics. Additionally, she drives and contributes to the development of key institute initiatives including company culture, organization ecosystem, systems and process design, and partnerships.
Melissa's high level of productivity and achievement is fueled by her entrepreneurial spirit, innate drive, and gift of organization. If something doesn't exist in the way Melissa sees it, she makes it happen. If she doesn't know how to execute a task, she figures it out. And with all elements of her life, from spreadsheets, programs, events, systems, and campaigns, she never sacrifices aesthetic impact for efficiency or effectiveness. She is the ultimate creative strategist and designer, everyday, biking in heels.*
*Literally, Melissa biked to and from her office at ASU, 5 days per week, in 4-5" heels. Photographic evidence available by request.
Creative Services Clients
• California Institute of Integral Studies, Public Programs
• TRICOR Contracting • The Madison, Cycling & Yoga Studio • Marketing Ideals • Greenwood Brewing |
• Julia Garcia, Motivational Speaker & Author
• Bugg Tree Care • ZeroMassWater • Scottsdale Public Art • Palo Verde Art Center • Society of North American Gold Smiths |
• Angela Ellsworth, Artist
• Eliza Gregory, Artist • Jaime Jipner, Stylist • Grindset Fitness • Tania Katan, Author & Motivational Speaker • 203K Contractors |
Event Design• CGI Integrated Care Conference
• ASU RECHARGE Conference for Native American Youth • ASU AVID Conference • ASU Outreach Luncheon • ASU Future Sun Devil Experience, Campus Visit Program |
Higher Ed Leadership• Cummings Graduate Institute Marketing & Partnerships
• Cummings Graduate Institute Student Services Department • ASU SPARKS service based student organization • ASU Earn to Learn Scholarship • ASU Early Outreach Scholarship • ASU Collegiate Scholars Academy • ASU Barrett Summer Scholars Program |
Select Grants + Awards• 2016 nominee, Commission on the Status of Women Outstanding Achievement and Contribution Award
• 2015 Federal Assets For Independence Award - $1M • 2015 Sullivan Foundation Award - $300K • 2013 Kingswood Oxford School Artist in Residence • Entrepreneurial Advantage Project Grant, ASU |
Teaching Experience
- ART113: Color Theory, undergraduate level, 5 semesters, Arizona State University
- ART112: 2-D Design, undergraduate level, 5 semesters, Arizona State University
- ART198: Introduction to Digital Media, undergraduate level, 1 semester, Arizona State University
- CORE Art Foundations Research Assistant, undergraduate level, 1 semester, Arizona State University
- Graphic Design for Art Marketing, ages 16+, 3 semesters, Arizona State University, Community Course
- Digital Book Design, ages 16+, 3 semesters, Arizona State University, Community Course
- Art for Children, ages 5-12, 4 semesters, Arizona State University, Community Course