Name: Melissa Dean
Expected Graduation Year: 2026
Leadership position(s) held in law school: Campbell Law Review Editor-in-Chief
Undergraduate institution and major: University of Washington – Political Science and Economics
Jobs/Internships: Hartzog Law Group, LLP; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; North Carolina Court of Appeals; and American Bar Association (ABA) Antitrust Law Journal.
How do you spend your free time? I really like to bake. I’ve also been embroidering recently. When the weather is nice, I like to go on hikes at one of the many nearby state parks.
What does Women’s History Month mean to you personally? It’s a way to reflect upon and recognize how women were and continue to be disadvantaged and underrepresented. When I was in kindergarten, it was the 2000 election, and I learned that there had been no female presidents. I remember wishing I could be the first, disappointingly thinking, “There will have been so many women presidents by the time I’m old enough to run.” I’m 30 now, and I can’t imagine we’ll elect one anytime soon. Unless they are part of another marginalized group, most men simply don’t know what it feels like to be implicitly (or sometimes explicitly) told that certain spaces are completely unattainable to them because of who they are. Highlighting women who have made significant achievements in spite of that feeling can be very meaningful.
Name a woman who inspires you and why? I feel lucky to be surrounded by so many ambitious women in leadership at Campbell Law, but my best friend from Arizona, Anna, comes to mind first. Her mother passed away while we were in high school, and she struggled to finish school. Since then, she’s been engaged in community organizing and local politics in Tucson, from leading a mobile vaccine distribution program and serving as a board member for Planned Parenthood of Arizona for almost 10 years to working as a policy advisor for the mayor. I admire her ability to aim high, connect with people and create opportunities for herself.
How do you plan to make history? I don’t know that I do — not in the macro sense at least. I think showing up and being present at the local level —supporting friends, family and neighbors — is a much better way for everyday people to be impactful.
Best advice for a 1L? Be flexible. Some of my most rewarding law school experiences only happened because other opportunities didn’t work out. What’s meant to be will be, and it is OK to not have everything planned and figured out right away.
