MCC’s Human Services Program Allows Alumna To “Save the World”

Marissa Melendez wanted to pursue a career path that would “save the world.” While her initial plan was to go to school for nursing, she did not feel as though the field – or the four-year college she was attending – was the right fit.

Instead, Melendez came back to her hometown of Lowell and attended the more affordable Middlesex Community College to study Human Services.

“My experience at Middlesex Community College was one that I will never forget,” she said. “I have always had a passion for wanting to guide others in a positive way and I feel that this program helped me spark an even greater passion for such a rewarding career.”

As a Children’s Intensive Home-based Therapeutic Care Outreach Counselor, Melendez works with a clinician in a home to provide services for families before they are placed in residential housing. In this role, she is getting the chance to help make a positive difference and happier home life for the children and families for which she works.

“This job is hard most days because watching children struggle in a society with such a stigma on mental health can be emotionally challenging,” Melendez said. “It can also be rewarding when I am able to watch these children and their families thrive once receiving the correct services.”

Thanks to MCC’s internship and Service-Learning experiences, Melendez knew early on that she was on the right track by studying Human Services. Working with a school social worker at a local high school helped her gain early exposure to potential jobs in the field. The opportunity also allowed her to apply the skills and training she learned in her classes to real-life situations.

“It was a great experience and it gave me a great opportunity to get my feet wet in one route of this field,” she said. “MCC has taught me that there is no timeline on life and everyone moves at their own pace – and that is OK!”

Melendez also appreciated MCC’s small class sizes because it gave her a chance to better connect with her classmates and faculty members. As she did not know much about Human Services before entering the program, she was more easily able to explore the field and all of the options available to her.

What she found was that MCC’s program – and the field itself – “is so versatile.”

“The Human Services profession as a whole consists of what I like to call a ‘giant umbrella’ of professions which will prepare each one of us to enter a field in which we can change and improve the mental, physical and emotional well-beings of others,” she said.

She learned a lot about the field from her classes with Paulo Barrio, MCC’s Department Coordinator of Human Services, in particular. The theoretical knowledge and advice she gained in her classes has given her knowledge and skills that will prepare her for her entire career.

While Barrio’s courses were challenging, Melendez believes he provided the sometimes hard-to-hear – but necessary knowledge that people who work in the industry have to know – in a meaningful way. This includes how to keep both the populations being served and the employees providing the services as safe and healthy as possible.

Having professors who were passionate for their subjects and how it made positive changes in the lives of others made a difference on Melendez’s perspective. Their guidance and open communication “helped me grow as an individual who wants to work with a diverse population.”

In addition to her job, Melendez is now attending Arizona State University to pursue an online bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Dynamics. Having graduated from MCC in the spring of 2021, Melendez completed her program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Middlesex “couldn’t have handled it any better,” she said, giving her the jumpstart to follow her passion.

“MCC gave me a strong foundation to not be afraid to pursue what I love and has taught me to use my voice to make change in the world,” she said. “I am proud to say that I am an alumna of MCC and I wouldn’t have wanted my education to begin at any other place because Middlesex is truly a special place.”

Part of the Public Service pathway, the Human Services program at MCC helps students go into – and succeed in – the workforce or transfer to four-year schools with its award-winning and affordable offerings, small class sizes and flexible schedules. For more information, visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/discover/dyp_pubserv.aspx to discover a path to a career in Human Services at Middlesex.

If you have ever taken a class at MCC, you are an alum! To share your story – and join the free Alumni Association – contact Amy Lee, Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Relations, at 978-656-3028 or leea@middlesex.mass.edu. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/alumni for more information.

Register now for MCC’s eight-week Spring Mini-mester II and Summer 2022 semesters. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434 for more information and to register for classes.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in education for more than 50 years. Middlesex puts the student first. Meeting each learner where they are, MCC provides them with a safe, welcoming and engaging place to learn. Offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – Middlesex features flexible course formats and a variety of award-winning student support services and resources. Student success starts at MCC!