Melisa Erman

Melisa is a fourth-year student pursuing Computer Engineering and Computer Science majors. Outside of education, her ambitions include nurturing safe campus environments for progression in diversity and inclusion efforts. She has served as the Professional Development officer for the Society of Women Engineers, where she aimed to strengthen bonds with companies that demonstrate genuine D&I efforts. She also worked to provide opportunities for underrepresented individuals on campus to grow their confidence through events with company representatives. Other organizations she has been a part of include the Madison Association of Turkish Students (MATS), the Hoofers Sailing Club, and Engineers Without Borders.

Melisa is also passionate about language and culture; in her free time, she enjoys expanding her skills in languages such as Italian, Japanese, and Turkish. She was a representative and committee member for the 2022 Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) month initiative. This month of programming was the first of its kind on campus, providing a space for those with MENA identities and those curious to learn more to foster community and share their identity. One of her favorite ways to destress and reignite her motivation is to participate in the various events hosted by culturally focused organizations on campus. These include the annual Multicultural Orientation and Reception (MCOR) and the plethora of activities that would not exist without the Multicultural Student Center.

Her cultural pursuits have expanded across seas; Melisa spent the past summer in Madrid as the Digital Project Management Intern for The Planet App and Oikosbrain, which are applications that help users become more sustainable and knowledgeable, respectively. She cherished being able to put her Spanish studies to use in Spain and equally loved her work in web development. In the Fall 2023 semester, Melisa will be an exchange student at the National University of Singapore; she hopes to gain new perspectives through her Mandarin, Singapore culture, and Computer Science courses while balancing a new batch of co-curricular activities.

Melisa proudly belongs to the Wisconsin International Scholars program, or WISc, on campus. She has met some of her closest friends throughout the seminars, dinners, and retreats hosted by the program. The program is full of ambitious individuals focused on gaining experience and knowledge through study abroad programs and language studies throughout their undergraduate education. By balancing her engineering studies with her global interests, Melisa feels well-equipped to approach situations with various perspectives and social considerations.

Upon returning to campus, Melisa looks forward to continuing her push for diversity and inclusion for the underrepresented groups, especially with the new upcoming Computer Science facilities and opportunities. She is inspired by the initiatives of Denice Denton and other students on campus with pursuits toward equity and inclusion. Her lifelong motivation is to work towards a future where all individuals, no matter their background, will have the chance to pursue their ambitions in STEM with the resources and confidence they deserve.