Associate Professor of Social Work
Grand Valley State University
Dr. Melissa Villarreal is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses. Her teaching portfolio includes Social Work Practice with Families and Children, Social Work and Difference, Diversity, and Privilege, Field Practicum in Social Work, and Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare. Before joining GVSU, Dr. Villarreal served as a Faculty Specialist at Western Michigan University (WMU) for three academic years. There, she taught in the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Health Services Program. Prior to teaching at WMU, she spent twelve years teaching in the Sociology and Social Work Department at Hope College. During that time, she also held the position of Director of Field Education for the Bachelor of Social Work Program from 2002 to 2012.
Dr. Villarreal brings extensive clinical experience to her academic role. She has worked full-time in various social work and mental health settings, including roles as a Child and Family Therapist, Domestic Violence Therapist, Probation Officer for Adolescents, Child Guidance Worker at a juvenile facility, Outreach Clinician for status offenders, and Clinical Case Manager for teen parents. While completing the first two years of doctoral coursework at Smith College, she also worked as a campus counselor at Hope College, where she provided clinical services primarily to female students experiencing symptoms related to depression, anxiety, substance use, eating disorders, and other mental health challenges. Furthermore, she currently maintains a small private practice specializing in child and family therapy.
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