Faculty Profiles

Colleges and Departments

Dr. Melinda Villagran

  • Dir, Translational Health Research Ctr - Translational Health Research Center
Portrait of Dr. Melinda Villagran

Biography and education

Melinda Villagran is a professor and Executive Director of the Translational Health Research Center at Texas State University. She leads academic, public, and corporate research partnerships, creating evidence to improve resilience and health outcomes. Dr. Villagran is currently the PI or Co-PI on three grants from federal, foundation, and corporate funders, and she represents the Texas State University System on the Texas Rural Hospital Officers Academy Advisory Committee, a Texas Health and Human Services Commission established by House Bill 18 to deliver an executive leadership training program for rural Texas healthcare leaders. During her academic career, Dr. Villagran has served in roles with increasing responsibility, including a tenured professor and researcher, department chair, graduate program director, university-level research center director, chair of the University Council on Funded Research, and as a PI and Co-PI on proposals to state, federal, and foundation funders that generated over $26 million for new research and sponsored programs. She is the recipient of the Texas State Presidential Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity at the professor level, and is the author of two scholarly books and over 65 peer-reviewed research publications.

Teaching Interests

Research Interests

  • Chang, Carolyn T (Principal), Villagran, Melinda Morris (Co-Principal). Creating Accessible Pathways to Quality Jobs for Central Texas Residents, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $353703. (Funded: September 2025 - August 2028). Grant.
  • Wagner, Nicole Catherine (Principal), Villagran, Melinda Morris (Co-Principal), Anderson, Ryan Gerald (Co-Principal), Schneider, Jessica (Co-Principal). Farm to Fork to Field: Advancing Opportunity in STEM Careers, USDA-NIFA WAMS, Federal, $200000. (Funded: September 15, 2025 - September 14, 2027). Grant.
  • Villagran, Melinda Morris (Principal). Psychometric Properties of The Relational Values Assessment, McCoy Foundation/ McCoy's Building Supply, Private, $45000. (Funded: January 2025 - January 2026). Grant.
  • Villagran, Melinda M. (Principal). Visualizing Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Federal, $997000. (Funded: October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2025). Grant.
  • Villagran, Melinda M. (Principal). Community Health and Economic Resilience Research, State of Texas, State, $5100000. (Funded: October 1, 2021 - October 1, 2023). Grant.
View all grants
  • Ekren, E. M., Maleki, S., Shakya, K., & Villagran, M. M. (n.d.). Mental health and individual resilience in contexts of social vulnerability: Evidence from rural Texas. Community Mental Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-026-01653-2
  • Ekren, E. M., Adhikari, S., Maleki, S., Sexton, J. K., Aubert, C., Tomasso, M. E., … Villagran, M. M. (2026). Profiles of non-medical drivers and health burden associated with care seeking among rural women. Journal of Primary Care and Community Health, 17. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319261432462
  • Ekren, E. M., Maleki, S., Curran, C. M., Watkins, C. L., & Villagran, M. M. (2025). Health differences between rural and non-rural Texas counties based on 2023 County Health Rankings. BMC Health Services Research, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-12109-2
  • Ekren, E. M., Tomasso, M. E., & Villagran, M. M. (2024). Resilience as a concept for convergence across health, systems, and well-being: An AI-augmented mapping of 50 years of resilience research. Sustainability, 16(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310333
  • Maleki, S., Dede-Bamfo, N., Ekren, E. M., Mohammadalizadehkorde, M., & Villagran, M. M. (2024). Mapping access to children’s hospitals in Texas. Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(2), 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020140
View all scholarly/creative works
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Showcase Seminar Distinguished Scholar Award, University of Oklahoma. 2018 - Present
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Currently Serving Spouse Advisory award, Military Officers of America. 2009 - Present
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Presidential Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity. 2014
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Rockefeller Brothers Fund Mentor for Students of Color Entering the Teaching Profession. 2003
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Teaching Award of Merit. 2009
View all awards
  1. Other

    Texas State Health Scholar Showcase

  2. Chair

    Texas State Council on Funded Research

  3. Chair

    Translational Health Research Initiative

  4. Co-Chair

    LBJ Distinguished Lecture Series

  5. Chair

    University Strategic Planning Process - Innovation "Read Across"

  6. Member

    Multi/Interdisciplinary Research Grant Selection Committee

  7. View all activities