Melissa Magrath (she/they) is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley’s School of Education.
Before Berkeley, they received their bachelor's degree in Government and Legal Studies and Psychology from Bowdoin College. After graduating from Bowdoin, Melissa worked as the Elementary English Language Fellow at the American Farm School in Thessaloniki, Greece. Melissa then moved to Maha Sarakham, Thailand, working as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant.
Born and raised in Appalachian Maryland, Melissa’s primary research interests center on rural education inequities and school belonging. Through her research on promoting resilience and resistance among LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and immigrant students in rural areas, Melissa hopes to challenge stereotypes about the Appalachian region.
In their free time, Melissa enjoys writing poetry, playing guitar, taking film photos, reading fiction, and spending time in nature.
Specializations and Interests
Rural Education, LGBTQIA+, Resilience, School Belonging, Cultural Humility
