Melissa Clarke

Biography

Melissa brings a unique blend of marketing expertise and student-centered leadership to graduate business education.

Her passion for people, community, and lifelong learning has taken her around the world and inspired a career focused on helping students thrive.

Over two decades, she has built strong brands, fostered engagement and belonging, and created meaningful experiences for audiences across global education environments.

Melissa joined Vanderbilt from the University of Sydney, where she led reputation and recruitment marketing initiatives for the Business School before overseeing university-wide undergraduate and postgraduate recruitment marketing strategies across Australia.

Now serving as Assistant Director of Student Life in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs, Melissa leads initiatives that enhance the graduate student experience across all business programs, focused on engagement, community, support and student life.

She lives in Franklin with her husband and two young sons and enjoys exercising, the outdoors, and a good Aussie flat white.

Education

B.A., Business Communication, Trinity Christian College, 2009