Mel

I've had the distinct pleasure of working with Mel in all of her various roles with the Wisconsin Union. I've served as Mel's program advisor during her time as a "Filmie" and have worked alongside her during her tenure as an advisor and a development staff member. It has always been an honor and pleasure to work with her and I think the organization has definitely benefitted from her willingness to step in and step up wherever needed.My favorite story about Mel comes from her days as the Lakeside Cinema coordinator, back when we used to program classic films in der Rathskeller. On a Tuesday following her screening, she let me know that she had "bad news" from the previous night's screening. It seems that one of the temperamental 16mm projectors decided to eat the screening print of "His Girl Friday". To say that one of the reels looked like it had been projected through a salad shooter would be an understatement. Thankfully, Mel was calm under pressure...and nothing says pressure like a projector spewing several feet of an archival print. Mel gathered every piece in case it could be repaired. Because of Mel's longstanding relationship with the source of the print, they knew that we always careful with their prints. Dorinda was quite understanding and amazingly calm when notified about the damage, because they knew that it was just an unfortunate set of circumstances. To this day, every time there is a reference to "His Girl Friday", all I can think of is Mel and that possessed film projector...and all I can do is chuckle.~~Robin Schmoldt

MEL, What can be said. We had a love/hate relationship. (mostly love). There are few people that I can say didn't screw up the paperwork for me, but Mel was one of those. She "got it" from day one. I would see Mel mostly in the halls of the Union. Don't know when she found time to get the paperwork done, because she and I would take turns playing "hall monitor". Yes, Mel. The Party Gal. I can't figure out how far she got not knowing or even going to a WAPATOOLI PARTY. Best Wishes to you, Mel. ~~Sue Domini

And of course I can't forget Mel's infamous protest cupcakes! Nothing makes an upsetting occurrence at work better than home-baked red-velvet cupcakes waiting at your desk!~~Maya Oyarbide-Sanchez

One of my favorite Mel stories is when you, me and Mel sang Backstreet Boys songs back to back at karaoke at last year’s holiday party at South. “I don’t care who you are, where you’re from…Don’t care what you do, as long as you love me”“Quit playing games with my heart, I should have known from the start, my heart.”“Everybody…yeah. Rock your body…yeah. Everybody…rock your body right. Backstreet’s back, alright!”Mel, you are such a hard-working, pleasant, mature young woman! You are destined for great things. Best of luck doing your thing!~~Sheba McCants

From my very first day on the job, Mel's passion for the Wisconsin Union shone through. She gave me a two-hour tour of the Memorial Union, and as we went from room to room, she had story after story and all kinds of memories to share about the Union and its history, not a moment of which was dull. I remember being shocked that she seemed to know the name of every Union staff member we encountered along the way--and they knew her, too, no doubt because of her friendliness and spirit. I think all would agree that Mel's bubbly personality and passion for this organization has been nothing short of contagious.~~Lauren Worley

Best Mel moments hmm....Most awesome Mel moments include her being embarrassed because it is just so easy to do. I would have to say some of my fondest Mel memories came from my attempts to push her out of her comfort zone. Although Mel never followed my advice and never ended up streaking down library mall as I had hoped, I still enjoyed watching her blush as I tried to corrupt her!You also have to love Mel after she's got one margarita in her! She lets the poised and professional facade fade a little bit and finds herself making very un-Mel-like comments only to turn beat red once she has realized what she's said!Another classic Mel moment was in one of our first advisor meetings over the summer when we spent the whole afternoon sitting in her office watching the critically acclaimed Bollywood production, "Bride and Prejudice".~~Maya Oyarbide Sanchez

Melissa has an absolute "go-getter" mentality that speaks volumes for her dedication and perseverance. I cannot think of anyone else I would be so happy to spend late nights and early mornings with in my early professional career.Mel has proven to be an extraordinarily caring, thoughtful and motivating colleague that I have found myself relying on for support and encouragement. She has made the Wisconsin Union personable and fun. I am not sure what I will do without her. ~~Shayna Hetzel

One of my favorite memories with Mel is not so much an isolated incident, but an enduring quality she brought to the workplace. Mel's ability to blend our office environment into that of a fun, laid-back atmosphere where we could chat and goof around with her, while still maintaining some amount professionalism, has set her apart from the rest. Mel also made a genuine effort to connect with her interns, and her demeanor has always been that of a wise friend more so than a figure of authority. She once treated all of her interns to dinner at the Old Fashioned as a way to thank us for our work. We ended up being there for hours, laughing, eating and gushing about our mutual love for cheese curds (and food in general). It is rare to find a person with such generosity.~~Lauren Worley

I can’t believe Elliot hit Mel in the face with a chair at State Street brats…she handled it by laughing it off. One of the things that first comes to mind when I think about Mel is her laugh. I think it’s contagious!~~Shayna Hetzel

Mel

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