Melissa Huppert (M.S. 2012, Ph.D., 2015, Youth Development and Agricultural Education) has been named a 2025 Purdue Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication Distinguished Alumnus.
Huppert is the STEM Outreach Director for the Minnesota State Engineering Center of Excellence, part of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Since beginning in that role in 2017, she has led numerous state and regional initiatives that connect students with real-world STEM and engineering experiences.
Melissa Huppert (M.S. 2012, Ph.D., 2015, Youth Development and Agricultural Education) Huppert is the STEM Outreach Director for the Minnesota State Engineering Center of Excellence, part of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Huppert grew up on a family hobby farm in southeast Minnesota, where she was homeschooled and developed a deep appreciation for animals, nature, and family values. After a year at the University of Minnesota, she pursued training at the Kentucky Horseshoeing School and launched a successful farrier business. Through that work, she discovered her true passion: educating others.
She earned an associate of applied science degree in Equine Science from Rochester Community and Technical College in 2006, followed by a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and Agribusiness from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2010. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in Youth Development and Agricultural Education in 2012 and 2015, respectively.
At Minnesota State, Huppert created and is the director of the Engineering Machine Design Contest (EMDC), a growing regional program that challenges 5th-12th grade students to build chain-reaction machines by applying engineering principles and teamwork. The contest now spans multiple states and boasts more than 50 percent female participation.
Huppert also leads professional development for educators. She focuses on integrating experiential learning into classroom instruction. Her recent efforts center on educator externships, which are immersive industry experiences that equip teachers to revise their curricula by embedding career-connected, hands-on learning opportunities. Through these real-world connections, teachers are better able to inspire student interest and engagement. Huppert has led multiple grant-funded initiatives that promote exploration in emerging technologies, engineering, and skilled trades.
Beyond her leadership with the Minnesota State Engineering Center of Excellence, Huppert serves on the SciMathMN Executive Board, chairs the Scientific Review Committee for the Southern Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fairs, and actively contributes to the Minnesota STEM Ecosystem. She is known for fostering partnerships among K-12 organizations, higher education, and industry to align education with evolving workforce needs.
Huppert lives in Wisconsin with her husband, a skilled trim carpenter, and their two young children, Eleanora and Colton, whom she homeschools. Her family life is grounded in faith and learning, supported by loving grandparents and enriched by their animals, garden, and outdoor adventures. She remains dedicated to helping young people — her own and many others — discover their interests, develop their talents, and find purpose through curiosity and connection.
