Dr. Melissa R. Schwartz believes intellectual pursuits are vital and exciting to the human journey! Having taught hundreds of university students the intricacies of ethics, critical analysis, and writing processes, she knows firsthand the power of support in the face of unexpected academic and personal struggles. Melissa has refined a teaching/learning strategy that applies to all capacities of academic coaching: the nurturing of individual strengths in the face of such struggles, large or small. As an interdisciplinary scholar striving for depth and expertise, her open and fluid approach to obstacles begins with conscious listening and working to understand each student’s concerns with writing toward their goals. She feels strongly that a deeply compassionate approach to the human condition releases inhibitions and enlivens the mind, and she applies this philosophy to helping others find their unique voice. Melissa holds an interdisciplinary PhD called, ASPECT (Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, Cultural Thought), from Virginia Tech, an MA in Applied Ethics/Practical Philosophy from the University of North Florida, a BA in Comparative Literature from the University of Iowa, a Florida attorney’s license, a 250-hour Yoga certification, and an unquenchable curiosity.