Melissa Quintela
Melissa grew up on the plains of West Texas, but has lived recently in New Mexico before coming to Indiana. She received a Bachelor of Science at Texas Tech University and a Master of Arts in Sociology at New Mexico State University. Her research interests include sociology of education, mental health of immigrants and Latinos, race/ethnic identification, life course events and future outcomes and youth development. Outside of research, Melissa also focuses on U.S./Mexico border relations and free trade activist issues benefiting indigenous Mayan groups in the highlands of Mexico. In her spare time (very rarely is there any!), Melissa likes to travel, run, bike, do yoga, Latin dance,draw and play with Holly, her long-hair Chihuahua.

