Melanie Masciarelli
Name: Melanie Masciarelli
Hometown: Cranberry, Pa.
Year in School: Junior
Major: International Business
Melanie Masciarelli grew up in a very small town outside of Pittsburgh. When it was time to choose a college, she opted for a large university in a large urban area. After some thought, Melanie decided to find more middle ground. The junior international business student moved to the Grand Strand area and transferred to Coastal Carolina University.
There is no hiding the fact that Melanie made a great decision. Ask her about the Coastal women’s rugby team she plays on and Melanie will light up. Or ask about her professors and listen to her enthusiastically talk about them in glowing terms. Or ask her about the community on campus and hear her refer to it as “close-knit” and welcoming.
You can tell that Melanie really enjoys her current situation because she works so hard to maintain it. She holds two off campus jobs, one that requires her in the mornings and one that requires her in the evenings. She is so dedicated to her rugby team that she remains even more dedicated to her academics just to make sure the GPA stays high while she travels out of town to tournaments.
Melanie is not studying international business for nothing. She would like to work overseas for an American airline once she graduates. Whatever country she lands in, our only advice would be for her to live in a city that isn’t too big or too small. We wish Melanie the best!
Q&A with Melanie
How did you hear about Coastal?: Coastal sent me a packet in the mail and it caught my attention.
Why did you come to Coastal?: I originally attended University of North Carolina at Charlotte but it was too large and I wanted to go somewhere smaller and be more outside of a big city.
Favorite professor: It’s a tie between Dick Drass and Larry Alva.
Favorite class: Larry Alva’s, he always challenged us while making class interactive and always making us laugh with his “power poses.”
Favorite aspect of Coastal?: The way students are always out doing things such as going to the beach, boating on the river or just being outside because of the weather.
Favorite aspect of living in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area?: You’re close to the beach but the mountains aren’t to far away either and there’s always things to do in the area
Clubs/Intramurals/other extracurricular activities involved in?: I play rugby here at Coastal, I’m in the surf club and a member of two honor societies (Tau Sigma and The National Society of Leadership and Success)
Do you work anywhere currently (either on or off campus)?: I work early in the morning at a horse farm in Conway and in the evenings I work at Tropical Smoothie across the street from campus.
Plans after graduation?: I originally planned on going to law school after graduation but the closer I get to having to apply the less interested I am. I know I want to do something with my international degree and working for an American airline overseas is an option.
What are your hobbies?: I grew up on a horse farm so naturally I love riding horses and still do regularly.
Do you have any hidden talents?: I used to compete with horses for the US Junior Eventing Team up until I transferred here to Coastal. I traveled the country and even got the chance to represent the United States in an international competition.