Outstanding Islander Graduate Melanie Moseley ’19, ’22, Earns Doctorate in Counselor Education
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Family and faculty support have been the keys to success for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi doctoral student Melanie Moseley ’19, ’22.
Moseley is one of more than 700 Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students graduating Saturday, Aug. 6, at the American Bank Center. It’s the university’s largest-ever summer ceremony. Moseley will earn a Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and was selected as the Summer 2022 Outstanding Islander Graduate for the College of Education and Human Development. The designation is sponsored by the TAMU-CC Office of the Provost.
A Floresville native, Moseley chose the field of psychology after reflecting on adversity during her youth, including her parents’ divorce. She first earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas Lutheran University. When it was time to pursue graduate work in counseling, she knew right where she wanted to be.
“I had applied to various graduate programs, and once I had all my options out in front of me, I felt like this is where I was supposed to be,” Moseley, a first-generation college student, said. “TAMU-CC had a great reputation in terms of academics in the field I am in, and it seemed to be the best option for me.”
In her master’s program, she met Dr. Kristina Nelson, Assistant Professor of Counseling.
“From the moment I met her, we just sort of clicked,” Moseley said. “I knew she would be the person I would turn to when I needed guidance and support, and she has never let me down.”
Having the opportunity to intern at the Corpus Christi Police Department, the TAMU-CC Counseling and Training Clinic, and the university’s Antonio E. Garcia Arts and Education Center, Moseley completed her Master of Science in Counseling with an emphasis in Marriage, Couple, and Family. She again knew, without hesitation, where she wanted to pursue her terminal degree.
“I knew that going into a doctoral program was going to be challenging and I would need an incredible amount of support,” she said. “TAMU-CC was the only place I knew I’d receive that because I had already experienced it.”
Moseley also received financial support from the university in the form of scholarships.
“Each of my scholarships allowed me to stay better focused on my studies,” Moseley said. “I’d like to think by enhancing my focus on my academics, I was able to graduate on time. I did not have to worry as much about affording my education, and of course, it helped minimize student loans.”
During her doctoral program, she received the most significant instance of support – something money couldn’t buy.
“I had my son Jameson in March 2020 – the same week everything shut down due to COVID,” Moseley said. “Having a newborn and being isolated from everyone made my second and third semesters very difficult. My instructors and cohort were constantly checking in on me and doing everything they could to help me get through. No one ever made me feel like I was less of a student or a mother.”
Moseley spent a lot of time in her program committed to helping families. During her internship work at the university’s Counseling and Training Clinic, she gave local families the tools to help strengthen their relationships. Her commitment to family also fueled her dissertation topic, as she studied the experiences of men whose partners were diagnosed with postpartum depression.
During her doctoral program, which she will complete with a 3.8 GPA, Moseley also discovered her love of teaching. Working as a teaching assistant for Nelson and other faculty, she was able to help teach undergraduate-, masters-, and doctoral-level courses and help train future counselors.
“As a TA, I had the freedom to engage in self-discovery as an educator, all while being offered guidance and support,” Moseley said.
The work paid off and ignited her career aspirations. She now works at a private counseling office, C2 Counseling, and after graduation, she will be joining the University of Texas at San Antonio faculty as an adjunct instructor in the fall, continuing to represent the Island University as an Outstanding Islander Graduate in the workforce. Moseley will also be returning to her alma mater as an adjunct for the TAMU-CC Counseling and Educational Psychology department.
“Melanie truly cares about the counseling profession and works to ensure that students are well prepared to enter the field,” Nelson said. “The way she interacts with students is inspiring. She is kind, compassionate, transparent, and connects with students in a caring and motivating manner. She isn’t afraid to give difficult feedback to her students, but does it in a caring, growth-oriented manner that it is consistently well received.”
Moseley gives thanks to her family, including her husband Dillon, along with her mother and grandparents. She is also grateful to her faculty, including Nelson and Dr. Jennifer Gerlach, Assistant Professor of Counseling.
“Dr. Nelson is the ideal image of who I want to be as a counselor educator. She is the kindest, most compassionate woman I have met, and I honestly don’t have the words to describe how grateful I am for her,” Moseley said. “I would also like to thank Dr. Gerlach. She planted the seed for my love of research and made me feel more capable of being successful than I could have imagined.”
