The Latest
Charter Alumni Spotlight: Olivia Meloche
April 01, 2022
Each month, the GVSU Charter Schools Office spotlights a current GVSU student who graduated from a GVSU-authorized charter public school.
This month, we are pleased to introduce you to Olivia Meloche. Olivia is a senior at GVSU and is studying psychology with a minor in history. She is also taking a few Japanese courses. Prior to coming to GVSU, Olivia graduated from Black River Public School.
Olivia recently took some time to share a little more about how her
experiences at GVSU and Black River have shaped where she is at
today.
Tell us about your time at Black River Public School. What did you like about it?
My time flew by but it was very memorable. We had a project term,
which is a semester of elective courses, to better prepare for life.
My time there was well-balanced, educational and filled with emotional
support. I was even able to participate in advanced orchestra starting
my junior year there.
What advice would you give to current students at Black River Public School who are preparing for life after high school?
Advice that I would give is to not give up on your goals. Things can
get hard but keeping your goals and not giving up will get you
through. Also, take the support from teachers. It will help you go
above and beyond for success.
When did you first learn about GVSU? What did you like about the university?
My mom is a GVSU alum. She told me it was good opportunity to be
close to family. I became familiar with it and began to know this is
where I wanted to be. The university itself is nothing short of
amazing.
What have you enjoyed so far at GVSU?
I have really enjoyed the class size. My friends talk about how large
classes are at other schools and I couldn’t be more grateful about
where I am. Smaller classes provide more opportunity to get close to
teachers for better success. There was a period where I was sick and
professors provided immense support. Every professor had been
understanding and were empathetic about my situation. I had a Japanese
professor that kept me going. My professor said, “don’t push yourself,
we can support you.” This gave me the motivation to keep going.
If you could identify one thing to be the most beneficial tool that you have received since attending Grand Valley, what would it be?
It is more so two beneficial tools. The professors and campus itself.
The professors were there in my time of need and continued to help me
when my motivation was low. Walking around campus is very easy as
compared to the bigger schools - especially when it’s cold - and it is
more accessible.
What type of goals do you have for yourself once you graduate?
I would like to apply to Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET)
Program. This program allows graduates to travel to Japan and teach
English. I eventually want to go for my doctorate in psychology and
work with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). I am
interested in perceptual psychology in the area of tech and
science.
What is something you’ve accomplished that you are really proud of, whether it occurred at Black River Public School or GVSU?
Something that I have accomplished is being a part of advanced
orchestra playing violin. It was designated for seniors and being able
to be a part during my junior year in high school and to move up was a
great opportunity. I truly felt like my skills increased. Another
accomplishment would be during my dual-enrollment at Careerline Tech
Center where I won best color usage for the advertisement for the
Detroit Auto Show. I am also extremely proud about going to Japan in
2019. I had never been abroad before and I can’t wait to go again in
the future.
What is one piece of advice that you have received from a GVSU faculty/staff or mentor that will forever stick with you?
A piece of advice I received is from my History professor who is very big on objective data and doing your own research. My professor mentioned that “knowing facts in an opinionated world is what will help you truly understand any topic and give you the high ground in any conversation or debate.” Using Google Scholar for information, for example, instead of friends.