Melissa’s story
Melissa Hill is a student of Planning and Management at MIT and has a wide breadth of knowledge across her field of study. This goes hand in hand with much of the applied work experience that Melissa has gained through, for example, working as an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow for MIT’s first-year learning community and through her role as a Covid Action Recovery Intern at the Mayor’s Office in Miami Beach. We were lucky enough to have the chance to talk to Melissa about her experiences across these areas. Keep reading to learn more!
Tell us a little about yourself and your journey in education so far!
Hi! I am currently a student at MIT in the Department of Urban Studies & Planning and Sloan School of Management. This summer I have been interning at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in US Corporate Social Responsibility. Last summer, I interned in health policy at New America. Other experiences include working with the Leventhal Map and Education Center, City of Miami Beach, and Milbrait Asesores. At MIT, I have engaged in various musical activities, have been a part of the Terrascope Learning Community, and have led MIT's chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi. I have been an Associate Advisor and helped to teach the fall Terrascope class and love opportunities to mentor younger students. Further, I've had the opportunity to conduct research on entrepreneurship with John F. Kennedy at MIT's Center for Real Estate. This runs hand in hand with the work I did in researching planning policies in Youngstown, Ohio with Prof. Brent Ryan at MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning and Prof. Shuqi Gao at Southeast University.
How do you fit into the nexus of the GTL programme?
I remotely taught philosophy and geography at two schools, Llantwit Major and Bro Dinefwr, in January 2022 as part of the MIT GTL in Wales program!
Are there any sessions that have particularly stood out for you as an instructor?
I loved teaching metaphysics and introducing thought experiments to students. They loved the puzzles and their instructor said it brought out a new energy in them!
How have you managed the combination of online and in-person teaching?
I think it can be harder to engage students online and get a sense of the energy in the room, so I’ve learnt to be very intentional in the phrases and tone of voice I used to help students engage with the material. I also think it helped to make lessons as interactive as possible since it is harder to stay engaged with a lecture in an online format. Both of these lessons from teaching online apply well to in-person instruction as well. Even though it was sad not to be able to travel last January, the online environment was a valuable experience in growing as an instructor in ways that will be beneficial in future in-person and remote settings.
Do you have any advice for students looking to apply for degrees in your subject-areas?
Urban planning and business are broad fields where many different perspectives contribute, so it goes a long way to follow your curiosity. Sometimes the most valuable insights come from exploration!
