Macon State College MVPs is a web feature that profiles notable students, alumni, faculty and staff.

Family: Husband, Buckner F. Melton, Jr., "and a host of others."

Job Title: Assistant professor of history.

Degrees: Doctorate of philosophy in military history, Duke University; master of arts in history, Wake Forest University; bachelor of arts in history and political science, Guilford College.

Year she joined the Macon State faculty: 2005.

Some of her teaching career highlights are … "Seeing my students’ reactions when I walk into class wearing a gas mask to teach World War I, and being challenged to a duel in class by one of my students."

She enjoys teaching at Macon State College because … "I work with an interesting and congenial faculty and a diverse group of students. Also, they pay me for it."

Her favorite course to teach is… "German History. I studied in Germany as a college student and this class gives me a chance to talk about my adventures in East Germany."

One thing people don’t know about Macon State is… "That it is no longer called Macon Junior College, and we offer a bachelor’s degree in history now."

One thing people don’t know about her is … "When the need arises, I can run a household of 12 people without electricity."

In her spare time she likes to ... "I’d like to find out. I don’t have much spare time."

The one person she'd most like to meet is … "There are a number of historical figures I’d like to meet, but if I had to select one, it would be my great grandfather who served in a famous regiment from the beginning of the Civil War through its surrender at Appomattox."

If she wasn’t a college professor she would be … "I might be a trial lawyer or consular official, an M.D., a veterinarian, or possibly an analyst or comedienne. Being a professor let’s me combine a little of all of them."