“I think of it as a Clark Kent/Superman situation. By day, I’m a psychologist and by night, I’m an actor,” says Melissa Lozada, a psychology major and musical theatre minor.
She has a story shared by many UNCG students – she’s the first in her family to attend a university. What will she do with her experience? Pass it on.
“I know my younger brother no longer has to struggle with the college application process because he can always ask me,” she says.
I did not come into UNCG knowing that this was a minority-serving institution. I came here because of the opportunities that it gave me.
She’s also part of a growing cohort of Latinx students at UNCG. According to Fall 2023 data, Hispanic students make up 14.6% of the degree-seeking student population. During her time here, Lozada has participated in student organizations like S.A.L.S.A (Spanish American Latino Student Association).
She also wants to see the Latinx community better represented in psychology. “Mental health is in such high demand right now,” she says, noting that only a small percentage of mental health professionals are Latinx.
In her passion for singing, she finds a beauty that crosses cultures. “It’s a way to communicate that surpasses language barriers. It’s a free-flowing bridge that you can use to create your own thing. I’m grateful that I can learn, listen, and sing in both English and Spanish.”
And she does it well. Back in Fall 2022, she even auditioned for “America’s Got Talent”!