Isela Melendez-Carpio: Masters candidate (‘19) in Higher Education Student Affairs

Isela embodies womanhood by dedicating herself to other women in the face of cultural expectations. “Machismo is so pervasive and toxic for the well-being of women, in particular, the Latinx community. I have enjoyed defying the odds and expectations society has put in place.” This proud first-generation graduate student believes in the power of paying-it-forward. “It has taken a village of men and women to get me where I am...Such wisdom and knowledge have taught me to be reliable, trustworthy, and nurturing. I love and care very deeply of the women in my life. In the ways that Isela is inspired by her mother’s kindness, compassion, intelligence, and love, we are inspired by Iselas’s determination, poise, intellect, and inclusive approach to higher education.