Editor’s note: The Mesics Instructorship was presented to Melissa Brousseau during Upper School Assembly in the Phillips Stevens Chapel on September 17, 2014
“The Sandra Bashore ’55 and Joseph C. Mesics Instructorship was established in 2001 to recognize a young faculty member’s initiatives in and out of the classroom.”
The new recipient of the Mesics Instructorship is very deserving of this distinction as she has made a significant imprint on the Williston community in each of the three areas of boarding school life: academics, the afternoon program, and residential life.
In her classroom, whether it be the gymnasium teaching Physical Education to Middle Schoolers or a laboratory teaching Anatomy and Physiology to high school students, she is well prepared and enthusiastic. Her success as an educator is built on the foundation of creating clear expectations, demonstrating expertise in the subject area, and providing positive reinforcement. She creates a constructive learning environment in which her students freely share their understandings and opinions. Her thoughtful lesson planning makes the curriculum engaging and relevant arousing the curiosity and interest of her students. Last year a student in her Anatomy and Physiology class wrote, “She is always calling on us, keeping us on our toes, but she is also eager to help us along. It is clear that she wants us all to succeed.”
Her work outside the classroom in the roles of head athletic trainer, assistant athletic director, advisor, and as a former dorm head in Mem East has been outstanding. Her highest priority is always the health, safety, and well-being of Williston students…. whether she is caring for injured athletes, presenting nutrition workshops, or offering sage advice to a student in need. In addition, she successfully balances the ability to strongly advocate for students while simultaneously holding them accountable. She is a forceful proponent of and role model for character development in our community. And though she doesn’t live in the dorm anymore, we still count on her to give us the temperature of campus in any given week.
She is a valued colleague whose passion is evident in the consistency and high quality of her work. She is a perfectionist who constantly seeks to enrich her knowledge and grow as a professional. Her diverse experiences with adolescents and her deep knowledge of adolescent issues make her a great resource for our community. Through preaching the importance of team dynamics and responsibility she has been a pacesetter on campus in the cultivation of student leadership. She also helps remind us all of the importance of collaboration with peers and other professionals in serving the needs of the student body.
In each of her endeavors her work is characterized by strong organizational skills, consummate professionalism, and the empathy to understand and connect with students….and we have been lucky to reap the fruits of her substantial efforts as she begins her 18th year at Williston.
It gives me great pleasure to announce the new recipient of the Mesics Instructorship: Melissa Brousseau.
I had the pleasure of working at williston as an athletic training student last fall. It was my first clinical rotation as an AT student, I could not have asked for a better first mentor. She is a great example character and leadership for students, staff, and faculty alike. She is incredibly deserving of this award!