Communication Studies

Melissa DiNardo – B.A. 2000

Melissa DiNardo graduated with a BA in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  This program offers essential skills and core concepts which Melissa has been able to apply both personally and professionally. While in college Melissa had the opportunity to be a Teaching Assistant for the Relational Communications class.  The teaching assistant experience enabled her to gain leadership skills in a communicative setting, such as developing listening skills while facilitating group discussions.

Upon graduating in May 2000, Melissa decided to move to San Diego, CA.  Melissa worked at the exclusive Hotel Del Coronado providing excellent customer service and a valuable experience for all guests.  After returning to her home state Connecticut in 2002, Melissa joined the family business as a real estate developer.  Duties included scheduling conferences, preparing client proposals, coordinating events, and making other various arrangements.  Melissa also assisted with general office work, creating written business communications, site selecting, project management, and negotiating client contracts.  Melissa finds that incorporating knowledge attained from classes like Small Group and Team Communication and Organizational Communication is especially useful in the business environment.

After four years as a real estate developer, Melissa decided to pursue a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Fairfield University.  In this field, Melissa works as a therapist with individuals, couples, and families.  It is imperative to have effective communication skills in this field.  It is also important to be able to assess verbal and nonverbal communication and to have multicultural awareness while working with various families.  Applying concepts from classes like Communication and Society, Ethics, and Relational Communication has proved useful for Melissa as a Marriage and Family Therapist.  Choosing Communication Studies for an undergraduate degree provided for some of the necessary framework used in her field today.