Her Story
About Melissa
Melissa Rose serves as a school counselor in Las Vegas, Nevada. She began her career in the field in 2006 and currently works with elementary students at one school, offering individual counseling, group counseling, classroom counseling, crisis intervention, and support for emotional regulation. Rose earned her undergraduate degree from Jackson State University and is a graduate of the University of La Verne. She maintains active memberships in the American School Counselor Association and the Nevada School Counselors Association. Recently, she received a district award based on a letter submitted by a student. Rose attributes her success to her parents, who encouraged her pursuit of education, and she emphasizes values such as accountability in both her professional and personal life. She advises others in her field to never settle and to give themselves grace during challenging times. Among the challenges she notes in her field are bureaucracy, political influences, and funding limitations that can detract from direct counseling work.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Melissa
01What do you attribute your success to?
My mom and dad always pushed me to go to school and do something. They encouraged me to pursue education, and now as a parent I have the same mindset with my children.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never settle.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Give yourself some grace, and be patient with yourself, because even though you're gonna go through the rough patches, it's all gonna make you better. It's gonna be experiences that you're gonna need to look back on in the future.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Bureaucracy and political stuff that affects jobs, including lack of monies and going through the motions with regular job stuff rather than direct counseling work.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Accountability. Own up to your own situations or mistakes, and that's the only way to fix it. First say what you did and what you need to do to work on it.
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