October is Filipino American History Month, and to celebrate, GRIT asked Blackstone RD (and Biola alumna!) Meleca Consultado to answer a few questions about her time as a Biola student, and her career in higher education. I am always impressed and inspired by Mel's courage, enthusiasm, and intentionality. Enjoy the wisdom she drops below!



Briefly describe what you do at Biola.

I am entering my 7th year as a Resident Director here at Biola. I was the RD in Alpha West for 4 years and now the RD of our newest residence hall Blackstone Hall. I tend to wear many different hats, but in short my work is about helping the individual and communal development of students living in my residence hall. I currently supervise 11 Resident Advisors, help create programs that enrich our community in Blackstone, respond to the physical, emotional, mental, interpersonal needs of students, advocate and enforce our community standards, and provide and direct students to resources that will help them flourish here at Biola.

If you could go back in time and give a piece of advice to yourself as a Biola student, what would it be?

This is a tough one, because I deeply loved and cherished my time as an undergrad student here at Biola, and in large would not change anything (except maybe try to study abroad while I was here). Now, regarding advice I would give my college self I think as I look back I would have challenged myself to begin the conversation about understanding my ethnic-identi