Melanie Bliz is a PhD student in Curriculum, Instruction and the Science of Learning. Her research interests include the student-centered learning strategies used by academic coaches or mentors. She believes in making education accessible to everyone and helping college students, specifically college student-athletes, to become independent self-regulated learners. She has spent almost a decade working with student populations who have been identified as academically at-risk at both the community college and university level. Beyond academics, she enjoys spending time with her family, trying new recipes, and supporting Buffalo sports teams.