The year-long fellowship provides an immersive professional development experience with a strong focus on mentorship, career planning, leadership development, and networking.
Melissa Nelsen, director of major gifts for the Wayne State Foundation, has been selected as one of 10 professionals by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) District VI for its new Mid-Career Fellowship Program.
District VI consists of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
According to the CASE website, the Mid-Career Fellowship Program is designed for established professionals in educational advancement who want to grow as leaders, develop strategic skills, and give back to the profession. This year-long fellowship provides an immersive professional development experience with a strong focus on mentorship, career planning, leadership development, and networking. Participants will gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to step into senior leadership roles through virtual and in-person learning.
Participants must be experienced advancement professionals with seven or more years in the field; ready to expand their leadership role; dedicated to career growth and professional development; passionate about mentorship, networking, and serving the CASE community; and looking for a transformational experience to prepare for senior leadership.
“We’re thrilled for the opportunity for Melissa to represent the Wayne State Foundation on the national stage within our profession,” said Dr. Bob Machovsky, CEO of the Wayne State Foundation. “This experience will offer her the chance to learn a great deal and connect with some truly impressive professionals. In turn, this will only strengthen the Foundation’s efforts to engage with our outstanding alumni and friends of Wayne State College.”
Nelsen joined the Wayne State Foundation in January 2022 as the director of major gifts, overseeing a variety of fundraising projects and campaigns in support of Wayne State College. She was the lead fundraiser for the Peterson Fine Arts Building renovation and addition project and has been active in preparing proposals for financial support from private foundations. She served as interim CEO of the Wayne State Foundation from July 2024 to April 2025.
Prior to joining the Wayne State Foundation, Nelsen served three years as director of marketing and director of the Foundation for Providence Medical Center in Wayne.
Nelsen is active in the local community as a Wayne Ambassador for Wayne America Inc., and she is a member of the Wayne Kiwanis Club.
Nelsen earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her master’s degree in Education from Wayne State.
A native of Homer, Neb., Nelsen resides in Wayne with her husband, Kyle. They are the parents of two adult daughters and a son.