Founder

Melissa A. Lee is the visionary Founder of Graduate Admissions Pathways (GAP), an initiative dedicated to empowering students and alumni from Minority-Serving Institutions and First-Generation backgrounds access to graduate education. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Melissa has led graduate admissions at prestigious institutions, including Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Villanova University, where she successfully guided countless students through competitive graduate admissions processes.
Melissa holds an M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from Thomas Jefferson University, and a B.S. from Cheyney University, the nation’s first Historically Black College and University (HBCU). As a proud Cheyney alumna, Melissa brings both personal and professional expertise to her mission, along with a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by underrepresented communities in higher education.
Her leadership has been instrumental in bridging gaps in graduate admissions, from creating strategic pipelines to mentoring aspiring graduate students. Melissa’s passion for advancing inclusion, coupled with her extensive knowledge of admissions and student development, positions her as a leader uniquely equipped to drive GAP’s mission of fostering social and economic mobility for underrepresented students through graduate education.