Dr. Michelle D. Gilliard

Dr. Michelle D. Gilliard is the vice president for programs at the Foundation for Independent Higher Education (FIHE).  She takes lead responsibility the foundation’s First Opportunity Partners initiative, which aims to foster increased college access and success for first generation, low-income, minority, and new American students. She also takes lead responsibility for the foundation’s grant-making, through its Venture Fund programs.  The FIHE/UPS National Venture Fund awards competitive matching grants for innovative and collaborative efforts to improve the education and programs for students in private colleges.  The First Opportunity Partners Venture Fund, a new initiative, awards grants designed to stimulate collaborative efforts to improve access and success.  Both programs are fueled by gifts from donor companies, as well as an endowment created by United Parcel Service (UPS), which is now valued at over $ 43 million.

Dr. Gilliard came to FIHE from MG Associates in Washington, D.C., where she served as a higher education consultant.  Previously, she was vice president for planning and evaluation at the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and headed CIC’s grant-making and technical assistance unit, the Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education.  She also previously lead a multicultural recruitment program at Kenyon College, served as a consultant for the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at University of Michigan, and as program associate for the Great Lakes Colleges Association.

A graduate of the University of Dayton. Dr. Gilliard earned her master’s degree in sociology at Brown University and the Ph.D. in higher education at the University of Michigan.  She is nearing completion of an Executive Master’s degree in International Service at American University.