Melissa Troutman

As the Assistant Director of Annual Giving at Elon University, Melissa Troutman ’13, G’15 is part of enhancing the university's philanthropic efforts. She is responsible for leading volunteer groups focused on fundraising, implementing innovative peer-to-peer giving strategies, and managing relationships with alumni prospects.

A proud alumna, Melissa earned her B.S. in Accounting and B.S in Finance from Elon in 2013. She then went on to earn her Master’s in Business Administration from Elon in 2015. As a student, she was actively involved in campus organizations, including  Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting fraternity in the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business . While a student she broadened her global perspective through alternative break and study abroad programs to Honduras, Ireland, Argentina, Singapore and Vietnam.

Upon the completion of her undergraduate degree, Melissa began her career at Elon University as the Business Coordinator for Phoenix Card Services. In this role, she supported on campus transaction system users, worked closely with campus merchants, and assisted with the development and production of Phoenix cards. During her time at Elon, Melissa co-lead a group of Elon students to Iceland where they examined the authenticity, cultural relativism and radical environmentalism while they traversed glaciers and hiked between the towering tectonic plates separating North America from Eurasia.

Upon finishing her MBA, Melissa decided to pursue her dreams of opening her own business. Using the knowledge she gained during the MBA program, in 2017 Melissa opened a women’s clothing, gift and accessory boutique, Simply Oak Boutique, right across the street from Elon’s main campus. There she successfully ran and operated her business for eight years.

Melissa has always remained deeply connected to Elon and in 2025 joined the University Advancement team and is excited to share her love and passion for Elon with other alum and the faculty/staff in efforts to support and further the University’s goals.

Outside of work, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband, Lucas, a 2014 Elon graduate, and their two children, Hudson and Annie. She loves to cook and can usually be found in the kitchen trying out a new recipe. She is proud to call Elon home and can often be found in the stands cheering on the Phoenix either at Rhode’s Stadium or Schar Center.