Name: Melanie Yabroudy
Year: Junior
Major: Communication and Media Arts
Hometown: Paramus, NJ
Melanie’s creative talent and enthusiastic spirit are unmatched. Upon first joining our chapter, I could tell Melanie would become an integral member of our girl gang. As the co-events director, I am privileged to serve alongside such an amazing girl boss. In only three short months, Melanie has more than stepped up to the plate when executing the many events we have planned for the semester. By organizing events that take the goals of all of our members into consideration, Melanie has exemplified the qualities of a successful and intuitive leader. She adds so much value to our e-board and to our entire chapter as a whole. To give you a sense of what Melanie is like, I’m reminded of the Maya Angelou quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Melanie is truly one of the kindest people I know who always uplifts those around her. As a leader, she makes others feel positive and inspired, a goal that even some of the most accomplished executives in the media industry have yet to achieve. It is this distinguishing quality that will allow Melanie to thrive in whatever she chooses to pursue.
HCM: What drew you to Montclair State and how did you get involved in our Her Campus chapter?
MY: I actually started out my college career at Rowan University in South Jersey and after one year, I knew I needed to get back up to the north and be near the city. I knew my education in the Communications school would be much better here than at my last school which was focused on engineering majors! I was drawn to HC Montclair because my friend who is the president at HC Marist always told me how much she loves being a part of a strong girl gang and I was so envious. I was so excited to hear from my roommate that we actually have one here too and we went to the first meeting together! From there, I started my journey as a contributing writer and member of our fierce girl gang.
HCM: What aspect of your major excites you most, and how have you been working toward achieving a career in this field?
MY: The one thing about my major that excites me the most is how liberal and open-ended it is. I am such an extroverted human being and I get to be creative, use my imagination, and showcase my passion to other people with my content! I have been working towards my career for many years and I have yet to truly figure out what I want to pursue for the rest of my life. I have looked into internships, taken classes outside of my comfort zone, and sought out outside sources for their input. These things have definitely crossed off some options for me but I am still searching for the one career that truly resonates with me.
HCM: What’s something you wish you knew as a Freshman?
MY: I wish I knew that it really was okay to transfer, NOT know what I wanted to do with my future, and change my mind along the way. It almost seemed taboo if you did but it happens to everyone. Also, some advice I would give to freshman is to get involved. You hear it all the time but college shouldn’t just be a time for you to go to class and go home. You should find something that truly interests and inspires you and that you will have a lot of fun with because you will create a lot of great memories with new and different friends that you may have not had even talked to otherwise!
HCM: Where do you aspire to be after graduation?
MY: I aspire to be happy. My one true goal after I graduate is to be happy and proud of my success in how far I have come! I would like to stay at my parents’ house until I have a steady income and I believe every recent graduate should do the same because you have student loans along with a new job and who knows what could happen! Stay with your family as long as possible and until you’re ready and in a good place to move on.
HCM: What’s your favorite Her Campus memory, and how has being a member of our chapter been a rewarding experience for you?
MY: One of my favorite Her Campus memories was putting on our first Fashion Show. We really showcased our girl power, put in a lot of hard work and it turned out incredible! (and I CANNOT wait to do it again!!) Currently being the Co-Events Director (along with my other Co and partner-in-crime, the beautiful CHRISTINA, the author of these featured profiles!), I am so proud to be able to put together things for others to enjoy and come together for. Being a member alone is really rewarding because it gives me the opportunity to have a creative outlet. You have all these structured assignments in class but in Her Campus I could write about anything I wanted! It’s a fantastic way to grow within yourself, stay motivated, be inspired, and feel empowered among girl bosses just like you!
HCM: When you’re not busy being a #HerCampusCollegiette, how do you enjoy your time off?
MY: When I have free time I love to listen to music and go on twitter or be with my friends! I am very spontaneous and always ready for an adventure. I could also spend hours on my phone or eating my favorite Chinese food. I love horror movies, dancing, and making people smile!
Melanie is one of the sweetest and most hard-working people I know. I will never forget the first time I really got to know her. Last year at our annual Friendsgiving party, we all got together to play What Do You Meme, a card game similar to Cards Against Humanity. Throughout the whole game, Melanie’s contagious laugh and hilarious card pairings had the entire group crying from laughter. Her fun personality and warm soul are hard to capture in words, but she has an air about her that makes you want to be her friend. I’m so grateful that I get to work alongside her as Co-Events director and learn from all of her amazing ideas.