Rate My Professor Melissa Abner

Dr. Melissa Abner serves as Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for Fashion: Textiles and Clothing in Business within the Fashion and Apparel Merchandising program at the University of Central Missouri's School of Industrial Sciences and Technology. She holds a B.S. in Textile and Apparel Management from the University of Missouri (2001), a Master’s degree in Teaching from the University of Central Missouri (2008), and a Ph.D. in Apparel Merchandising and Design from Iowa State University (2019). Before academia, she gained extensive industry experience as a manager in department and specialty stores specializing in visual merchandising and sales, worked in wholesale showrooms as a vendor representative, and managed buying, promotions, and the website for her family’s shoe store. Abner also taught Family and Consumer Sciences courses at Smith-Cotton High School for two years prior to joining the UCM faculty in 2008.

Her research specializations encompass marketing ethical products, engaged learning incorporating AR/VR and AI technologies, internship experiences, and business strategies such as social media and electronic word-of-mouth. Notable publications include “Applying the ESD approach in textile and apparel education” (Abner, Baytar, & Kreiner, 2019, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education), “Apps to increase student engagement: a case of textiles and apparel sustainability education” (Abner & Baytar, 2019), and “Effects of social media, electronic word-of-mouth, and price on US female consumers’ attitude toward purchase and purchase intention of ethical apparel” (Abner, 2019). Abner has been honored with the College of Health, Science, and Technology Excellence in Teaching Award (2020), UCM Excellent Faculty Advisor award (2022), and the UCM Education for Service Award (2024). She teaches courses on visual merchandising, fashion history, sustainability in consumer products, professional image management, fashion entrepreneurship, and senior seminars. Additionally, she contributes to campus life through Earth Week committee service, organization of fashion shows, and collaborations with career services, and maintains active involvement in professional organizations including the International Apparel and Textile Association and KC Fashion Week.