From LISD to SMU to New York City, 2019 The Colony High School graduate and LEF scholarship recipient Simone Melvin found that the support of the people around consistently left a mark on her. Five years after graduating from LISD, she reflects on the countless educators and community members who encouraged her to pursue knowledge and become a well-rounded individual.
During her time in LISD, numerous teachers and coaches encouraged Melvin to try her hand at various activities. Melvin found herself balancing participation in band and tennis while also pursuing academic success. Melvin’s involvement across many activities helped her develop skills necessary to succeed in the fast-paced environments of both college and her career.
“That ability to do so many things at once trains you in how to balance your time which is very important for college students,” Melvin said. “And when you’re entering a sort of field where you’re going to be handling a lot of different projects or maybe switching on to things very quickly, being able to pivot from one state of mind to another becomes really important. I think being able to flex the muscle of not just getting good at one thing but becoming very versatile and well-rounded is something that I found to be at the core of LEF and LISD in general.”
Due to the expensive price tag associated with earning a degree, Melvin knew scholarships would be necessary to pursue higher education.
“I knew I was going to have to get a lot of scholarships realistically because of where my family’s financial situation was,” Melvin said. “When I got to college, I started seeing how all of these scholarships added up…and it became very meaningful to me because I saw all these different types of people pouring into me and my education.”
A tennis scholarship from TCHS and LEF allowed her to earn degrees in Philosophy and English at Southern Methodist University and later pursue career opportunities with Forbes Magazine.
“I think scholarships do so much for your self-esteem,” Melvin said. “And if you combine that self-esteem with talent and hard work, that can really take you much farther than expected.”
As a student at SMU, Melvin found support and encouragement similar to what she experienced in LISD.
“I feel like my professors, the people around me, and the opportunities I was granted really dictated my college experience,” Melvin said.
As an English major exploring various avenues in which to write, Melvin became involved with the on-campus news publication. Melvin merged her loves for both fiction and non-fiction as a culture and entertainment writer, covering topics ranging from community news to book and movie reviews for SMU’s independent newspaper, The Daily Campus.
She also found an interest in audio reporting through podcasts for SMU’s Pony Pod and participated in a fellowship with the Dallas Morning News, further cementing her interest in pursuing journalism after graduation.
“It was so inspiring and heartwarming,” Melvin said. “Every step of the way, from speaking to people and being on the ground reporting to being able to tell people’s stories, I was just so happy with it.”
Ultimately, it was encouragement from a professor that spurred Melvin to pursue an internship that later opened the door to her current job. After graduating from SMU, Melvin applied for an internship in New York with Forbes Magazine. The intimidating price tag of moving to and living in New York City didn’t deter Melvin.
“I was able to [move to New York] predominantly because I had saved so much money up from scholarships over the years,” Melvin said.
At the end of her internship, Melvin accepted a position as a staff reporter for Forbes Magazine. She now covers lifestyle and entertainment and leads the 30 Under 30 Art & Style list.
“It’s been really rewarding because now it’s 30 Under 30 season again and this time I’m leading the art and style team. It’s a full circle moment in a lot of different ways,” Melvin said. “Moving [to New York and working for Forbes] has been a culmination of the professors and mentors and educators who helped me out, whether that’s just from encouragement or if it’s through a scholarship.”
Beyond her career, Melvin still finds time for personal fulfillment. Shortly after moving to New York, Melvin realized that she missed playing tennis. Courts can be expensive and playing partners can be hard to come by, but she’s found it to be a worthwhile investment.
“Booking a court is nearly harder than finding an apartment here,” Melvin said. “But it’s been really worth it to me to reach out and find new playing partners. I think sports in that unique way follow you and impact your life forever.”
Melvin’s love for learning opened many doors as a college student and beyond. Earning scholarships allowed her to walk through those doors and pursue fields she found interesting.
She notes the extensive impact of both LISD and LEF, as teachers encourage and equip students to pursue higher education and LEF works to alleviate the financial burden of college.
“There are a lot of really talented teachers in that district and a lot of people who really care,” Melvin said. “I hope that the students who are there now really take advantage of that.”
