Thank You For Being Such A Vital Part Of Our Team, Melanie Rossi. We Look Forward To Sharing More About You So Others Can Get To Know You Better!
What or who inspired you to pursue your major/career?
I’ve always loved the art of storytelling, so playing a role in that process has always been my dream. The messages in the books I’ve read telling me to “seize the day” and “embrace your youth” compelled me to study English, a field that has allowed me to develop as a writer and reader. Now, I plan on using those skills to tell stories that matter, inspiring others just as literature has inspired me. My professors in college taught me that writing can be just as impactful as teaching, and their support showed me that there are so many ways to use writing as a means to help others.
What is one thing you are proud of achieving in your life?
I’m proud of developing my fluency in Spanish. Nobody else in my family can speak another language, and I’m happy that I continued with my education in order to gain the ability to speak with more people. Through one of my classes, I worked with a literacy organization to teach English to Spanish-speakers. The partner I was assigned to tutor became a friend for life. We still speak to this day, even though she lives in Ecuador, but learning about her life and developing a friendship with her is something I would never have had the opportunity to achieve if I didn’t take the time to learn her language. Communication is key to growing empathy, so I’m proud of taking those first steps.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?are doing?
I’m grateful to my mom for always being so supportive. Whenever I’m come to her with doubts, questioning my decision to study English and worrying that I will never find stable work, she always reminds me that I’m on the right path, she immediately prevents my doubts from growing, instead stopping them before I can convince myself I made the wrong decision. I remember texting her while I was away at college, lamenting my decision to major in a subject that everyone tells me will amount to nothing. As a response, she took the time to call me and remind me that studying what I love is more important than aiming solely for financial success, and anything is possible with an English degree.
Share one professional development goal and one personal goal you have for the upcoming year.
Professionally, I hope to develop and gain experience as a grant writer. Researching grants and writing proposals for them is a practice that takes time, and by the end of my internship, I hope to be more confident in those abilities. I want to feel comfortable working remotely, being able to reach out if I have questions and learning how to use all of the online technology correctly. Personally, my goal is to grow my confidence. Grant writing is a skill that I want to develop, as I said, and I want to make sure that I don’t ever let imposter syndrome stand in my way. Everyone starts somewhere, and I hope to understand my limitations while also working to better them.
Why did you choose to be an intern for Educate. Radiate. Elevate.?
I chose to be an intern for Educate. Radiate. Elevate. because their commitment to equitable education resonated with my own values. I knew that I wanted to develop as a writer, but being able do so with a nonprofit whose values align with my own was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. E.R.E. allowed me to not only use my skills as a writer to work for a nonprofit with an impactful mission, but they also accepted me despite my lack of experience with grant writing specifically. I’ve been so interested in the field for so long, but I’ve unfortunately never received any formal training. Being able to develop as a grant writer with E.R.E. was an opportunity I wanted to make sure to take advantage of.
What about the Educate. Radiate. Elevate.’s Purpose, Mission, and Core Values speaks most to you and why?
As a teacher and tutor, I’ve witnessed many college students take their education for granted. Not everyone has equal access to quality education, and some students miss this privilege. E.R.E. shares my passion for education equity, aiming to bridge educational gaps caused by systemic injustices. I’ve been fortunate to learn in safe, high-quality environments and believe everyone deserves the same opportunity. I’d love to contribute to E.R.E.’s mission of prioritizing education for all.
What do you like to do in your free time?
My favorite thing to do in my free time and the most rewarding thing is to learn. I love to learn through reading; I read books from a wide variety of genres, and I love to see what people say online about them. My favorite books are those with unique, powerful writing styles, which I can attempt to emulate or learn from in my own work. In addition to learning through reading, I love to teach myself about important topics through various media forms. When I’m not reading or watching anything, I love to spend time with my sister and my friends.
Tell about an amazing trip you took. Where did you go and what did you enjoy most?
In college I had the opportunity to travel to Greece for two weeks with my philosophy class, and it was the best experience of my life. I’ve never traveled out of the country before, so I was so nervous about the plane ride, but being in Greece, seeing all of the ancient ruins and exploring Athens, a city so unlike anywhere else I’d ever been, was just incredible. The mountainous landscape was so different to what I was used to, and even just seeing a mountain in person was amazing. The best part was seeing the Parthenon, the Temple of Delphi, all of the ancient ruins that I’d read about but never imagined I would see in person. Standing among history millennia old was awe-inspiring; walking along roads used for centuries was incredible.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? What is it and why did it resonate with you?
Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet deeply affected me. Being a Shakespeare enthusiast, I was drawn to the book, but knowing the tragic story of Shakespeare’s son made me apprehensive. The novel vividly portrays the impact of Hamnet’s death on Shakespeare, his wife Agnes, and especially his twin, Judith. As a twin myself, Judith’s grief resonated deeply with me, making it difficult to finish the book. O’Farrell’s writing skillfully evokes powerful emotions that lingered with me long after I stopped reading. Despite the sadness, the novel’s portrayal of a family’s love in the face of loss left a lasting impression.
What are you most passionate about? Can you share a story?
I’m passionate about learning about the world. In high school, I made it my goal to learn where each country is on a map, its capital, and its flag. If I meet people from small countries, I don’t want to question them about their homes in ignorance. Understanding geography is so important to me; the world does not revolve around the USA, and paying attention to global issues and just taking the basic steps to learn where each country is the first step towards developing empathy and understanding for people whose cultures may be different from mine.
