Melissa Quintela
Professional Title: Assistant Professor of Sociology and Child Studies
Areas of Academic Focus and Expertise:
Children’s rights, immigrant youth, racial/ethnic development, youth mental health
Area of Work and Concentration at Lesley: Child Studies with a focus on immigrant and minority youth
Representative List of Recent Courses Taught:
Sociology of Childhood, Social Psychology, Research Methods, Race and Mental Health of Minority Adolescents
Education: BS, Texas Tech University; MA, New Mexico State University; PhD, Indiana University
Representative List of Recent Publications / Exhibitions:
- 2011 “Immigrant Student Educational Experiences in an Emerging Latina/o Community in the Midwest.” Book chapter in The Education of the Hispanic Population, Volume 2 of The Hispanic Population Series. Edited by Richard Verdugo & Billie Gastic, Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
- 2002 “Protective Factors Against Teen Pregnancy from the Hispanic Teen Perspective: A Phenomenological Study,” McNair Annual Research Journal, Texas Tech University, Vol. 5, 2000-2001
Fun Facts: Melissa’s personal interests include traveling, hiking, biking, yoga, meditation, dance and volunteering with youth.
Melissa's most recent work has focused on immigrant and migrant Latina/o youth in Indiana and New Jersey, where she served as an advisor to a group of students seeking educational reform for immigrant youth, and served as a facilitator to a community organization of immigrant and Latina/o youth.