A moment that impacted Melanie Hart was the first interaction she had with a senior named Monica Brewer, 2015 graduate. After she introduced herself and hugged Hart, Hart said she began the change from her shy freshman self to the “happy, energetic girl people see.” Hart said although she isn’t a very eventful person, she has that “aura that makes people smile for some reason.” “It’s probably because I smile and look good doing it,” Hart said.

Since that first day, the band room has been her “home away from home.” “Every time someone enters I feel I’m just like, ‘Welcome home!’” Hart said. Her non-band family is also very supportive of her and consists of her mother, father, and two younger brothers: Zach and Isaac. She also has a small dog named Moose and a cat named Oreo, who is “very fluffy.” Hart said her pets are part of her family and “I’d like to keep it that way.”

Hart’s favorite memory occurred when she was taking out the trash one day at work. “I pushed [the door] with all my strength, and it hit Aaron [Rothfusz] in the small of the back. Right on the spine. It was hilarious,” Hart said.

When she was younger, Hart wanted to be a singer or an actress. “My parents didn’t tell me I couldn’t back then, they told me I could do anything. They wanted me to go forward in my life, not back,” Hart said.

After graduation, Hart wants to go to college, find the love of her life and be financially secure working as a teacher. Hart is deciding between the University of Northern Iowa and the College of the Ozarks. “College of the Ozarks basically felt like home when I went to visit. I felt safe, and the people work together. It had that safe atmosphere I like here. UNI is what my parents think would be best for me,” Hart said.