Melissa Pereira ’19 doesn’t hesitate when she tells you what she liked best about her time at UHart: Barney faculty and staff, being a member of the D1 softball team, and experiencing a closely-knit student body. Grateful for all that UHart has offered her on and off the field, and in and out of the classroom, Melissa is inspired to stay connected to the community and faculty that made her UHart experience so enriching and successful. It laid the groundwork for the next phase of Melissa’s professional career.
A D1 student athlete and double major in Entrepreneurial Studies and Marketing at the Barney School of Business, Melissa believes that the faculty and staff in Barney do an excellent job of guiding students to career-ready futures. Specifically, Professor Naoumova, Department Chair of the Entrepreneurship, Management, and Marketing Department, stands out to her as the mentor who most shaped her academic experience. Pereira points out that “she is not only a mentor to me, but also a role model to all women with aspiring careers in business. She is an extremely educated, caring, and supportive faculty member. Through her meticulous guidance, she has helped me acquire the tools to successfully pursue my passions and career goals of helping small business and startups.” This is exactly what Melissa will be doing in the fall.
After completing her undergraduate degree at UHart, Pereira is on her way to law school in Boston. There, she will have the chance to directly apply what was learned in the classroom to the real world. She was selected as a Matthew Gomes Fellow for the Boston University Law/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Start Up Law Clinic. It is an opportunity that allows BU law students to give legal counsel to MIT student entrepreneurs. She is “so excited” for this position because it's a great occasion to build upon her entrepreneurial education from Barney.
Outside the classroom, Melissa believes that the softball coaching staff “teaches student athletes valuable life lessons relating to patience, teamwork, diligence, and determination.” She notes that UHart’s student athletic teams are very supportive of each other and belonging to one establishes a sense of comradery and friendship among the student athletes. She adds that there are “also various other student organizations such as honor societies and clubs that contribute to the atmosphere of community and togetherness within the student body.”
The University of Hartford has given Pereira so many fond memories that she “will value and cherish deeply.” However, through all of her experiences, she has most enjoyed learning about herself. She says, “what I am passionate about and how much I can push myself athletically, physically, academically, and professionally” was another key to her success. She credits her professors, community, family, coaches, teammates, and the athletic department for shaping and pushing her to become the young professional she is today. Melissa says, “I am thankful and proud to be forever a Hawk!”
Her best advice to incoming students? Melissa suggests freshman “strive to be active over anything else because motivation, vision, and talent theoretically gets you nowhere without taking actions to accomplish them.” She adds that “having all the motivation in the world could easily mean nothing if there isn’t an action to back it up. Also, never put mental limitations on what you can accomplish, set measurable goals often, and push yourself outside your comfort zone.”
Melissa Pereira '19, double major in Entrepreneurial Studies and MarketingBarney School of Business does a wonderful job preparing their students for real world job opportunities. From mock interviews, resume workshops, to dinner etiquette classes, the Barney School goes above and beyond to explain and educate their students on career-readiness following graduation.