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Croy new dean of professional studies
By Steve Lang / Special to the Avalanche
While moving to Alpine, Melanie A. Croy waved off mountain lion alerts, black bear scares and the presence of mule deer in her front yard.
But she nearly retraced her steps when she noticed a snake coiled around the telescope on the back porch of her new home.
"I believe there is a good reason for moving to Alpine and Sul Ross," the new dean of Professional Studies said with a laugh, "but that snake almost caused me to change my mind."
Croy assumed her new duties at Sul Ross State University on June 1, after 22 years on the Angelo State University faculty. She succeeds Chet Sample, who resigned after 11 years in the job. Sample will remain on the faculty as a professor of physical education.
"There are very few places for which I would have left Angelo State University at this point in my career," Croy said.
"Sul Ross is at the top of that list. Sul Ross is a smaller institution with more interaction between faculty, staff and students. I like the personal touch. My goal as an educator has always been to touch the lives of my students in a positive manner. As an administrator I hope to empower the faculty and staff of the School of Professional Studies to advance their programs to the next level. I want people to do a good job at what they do best -be it teaching, research or professional service."
The Duncan, Okla., native graduated from Comanche High School in Comanche, Okla. She graduated magna cum laude from Southwestern Oklahoma State University with two B.S. degrees (1977) in psychology and health, physical education and recreation.
She received an M.S. degree (1978) in exercise science and an Ed.D. (1986) in educational administration and higher education from Oklahoma State University. In 2005, she received an M.S. degree in therapeutic recreation from Indiana University, Bloomington.
She has also completed 39 graduate hours in counseling psychology and is nine hours shy of earning an M.S. degree in counseling psychology.
Her teaching career began with the Amarillo public schools in 1979, and she later taught and coached girls basketball and track and field at Amarillo Christian Schools.
Croy joined the Angelo State faculty as an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology in 1986. She became an associate professor in 1991, a full professor in 1997 and served as the department head from 1991-2003.
Croy has served on the advisory board and developed a therapeutic recreation program for the Big Springs Ranch for Children near Kerrville and the Hill Country Youth Ranch near Ingram.
She has been a volunteer at the ranches - which are residential treatment facilities for abandoned, abused and neglected children and adolescents - for a number of years. She has numerous publications in pedagogy to her credit, has made a number of professional presentations and has an extensive volunteer service resume. In 2003, she was named Professor of the Year in the College of Professional Studies at Angelo State.
At Sul Ross, Croy will blend administrative duties as dean with classroom teaching.
"I enjoy the opportunity to teach in different program areas and to stay fresh," she said.
"I view Sul Ross as a teaching institution, and this university supports the values to which I subscribe as an educator. I believe that you have to be passionate about your profession in order to be successful and, in turn, I want to enable the faculty in professional studies to do that about which they are passionate.
"This university, this position and this beautiful area of Texas make this the perfect place for me professionally and personally. I am delighted to be a part of this community."
For more information, contact Croy at 432-837-8134 or mcroy@sulross.edu.
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