Melissa Neider

Melissa Neider, an AmeriCorps member serving as a College Coach, is a 2021 graduate from Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) Organizational Leadership program. Her dissertation focused on career advisors' strategies while working with Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) faculty and VPA majors in career exploration outside their course of study. Given today's gig economy and the importance of having several revenue streams as an artist, the career advisor is a bridge to faculty focused on their métier and VPA students seeking meaningful arts-related work after graduation. One outcome of the study was the importance of relationship-building with students and faculty/staff is crucial to facilitating effective advising and programs to ensure that college students have the career readiness skills they need to reach their life and educational goals. Melissa believes in developing and maintaining effective relationships to work together to overcome barriers in students’ pursuit of their aspirations.

Since 2016, she has served as a virtual volunteer mentor to high school students during the college application process through Strive for College and is looking forward to working with Path to College fellows in a face-to-face capacity.