Meet the First Lady
Melody Blake, First Lady
Dr. Melody Blake's passion for education and empowering others has been the guiding thread throughout her personal and professional life. As First Lady of Middle Georgia University, she brings decades of experience in higher education leadership and a deep commitment to the Middle Georgia community.
A firm believer in the transformative power of education, Dr. Blake has dedicated her career to creating opportunities for students to thrive. She currently serves as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Wesleyan College, where she has worked since 2017 to advance academic excellence and innovation. Her leadership journey has taken her from the classroom, where she spent twenty years teaching developmental and social psychology, to administrative roles where she could impact educational access and quality on a broader scale.
Dr. Blake's dedication to empowering women extends beyond the classroom. She founded House of Hope, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting and uplifting women, and currently serves as Chair of the Board at the Family Counseling Center. She and her husband, President Chris Blake, are active members of Christ Church Episcopal, where they teach Sunday School together, finding joy in faith-based education and community connection.
Previously, she served as Provost at Mount Mercy University and as Vice President of Mission Services at Goodwill of the Heartland, experiences that deepened her commitment to both academic excellence and community service. A California native, Dr. Blake earned her undergraduate degree from UCLA and both her master's degree and Ph.D. in social psychology from Claremont Graduate University.
When she and Chris are not exploring Middle Georgia, they love to travel — recent adventures have taken them bicycling through Italy and Greece and walking the beautiful south coast of England. The Blakes share 4 grown children and 6 grandchildren. Spending time with them is one of their greatest joys.