International Programs
Staff
Melissa Stevenson
International Missions & Studies Assistant
E-Mail: mstevens@jbu.edu
Personal Information
Hello! Yes…I am married to Billy Stevenson, the director of international programs at JBU…and he is my boss as well…it is quite a fun thing to manage our “at work” relationship alongside our “at home” relationship. The Lord has given us a shared vision and it is a blessing (and a lot of fun) to be able to minister together at such a great university.
I am originally from Iowa. It is a beautiful and productive state filled with hard-working and kind people. I have had many international students comment on how easy it is to understand my Iowa accent. I love my home state and visit my parents and siblings there as often as possible. I have also come to love Ireland, Billy’s home, and am grateful to have seen its beauty and gotten to know many people there through the mission and study teams we have led.
I met Billy in Chicago at Emmaus Bible College. Two years later (1985) we were married and on our way to John Brown University to complete Billy’s degree in business. We both worked in many places both on and off campus while in school. Billy was hired full-time by the registrar’s office as the Assistant Registrar during his final spring semester at John Brown University (1988) during which our son, Andrew was also born. Our daughter, Heather, arrived 1 ½ years later. God has truly blessed us! Billy was invited to be a part of the newly formed International Programs Office in 1991. It was a perfect fit and one that has opened many new doors of ministry for our family.
I earned a bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies from John Brown University after our children entered school. I love studying cultures and enjoy observing and interacting with people from around the world.
I am excited to help lead and support mission team and studies team endeavors from John Brown University. I promote teams, process applications, and maintain records for all students involved with our programs. I consider it a joy to be able to work alongside Billy, Ron, and Joy. Together we reach out to our international student community here at John Brown University while we encourage our American students to explore the world through mission and international study teams.