Melissa Blissett to Chair Springfield College School of Social Work Advisory Board

SPRINGFIELD — Melissa Blissett, vice president of Family Services at Square One, has been named advisory board chair of the Springfield College School of Social Work. Her appointment follows the passing of long-time social worker and social-services advocate Dora Robinson.

Blissett earned her master of social work degree from Springfield College in 2015. As a student, she served on both the advisory board and the student organization for the School of Social Work. She currently serves as an adjunct professor.

“It is an honor to take on the role of the advisory board chair,” Blissett said. “Dora Robinson was not only a colleague of mine, but also my big sister in the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. We shared a commitment to supporting local youth and promoting mental-health awareness. I am honored to continue her legacy of leadership and the empowerment of individuals and families.”

At Square One, Blissett leads a team of social workers, case managers, and support staff who provide parent education, support, and training programs through groups, home visitation, and personalized case management to help parents access whatever services are needed to be successful in their role as their child’s first teacher.

Blissett joined Square One in 2014 as a supervisor in the agency’s Healthy Families and Supervised Visitation programs. In 2017, she went to work as a child and family-law division social worker for the Committee for Public Council Services in Springfield. In 2018, she returned to Square One as the assistant vice president of Family Services, and in 2021, she was promoted to vice president.