Melissa Bassett

When Melissa Bassett was a teen, her best friend was pronounced brain dead and passed away. The experience left Melissa wondering why her friend couldn’t get better, spurring her interest in neuroscience. Melissa went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from the extremely competitive neuroscience program at the University of Miami. There, she sought out practical experience and conducted her own research to study the neuroplasticity of neurons so she could better understand the potential for neurons to regenerate.

Knowing she wanted an advanced degree and to merge her interests in medicine and research, Melissa enrolled in FIU’s health informatics and analytics program. Meantime, last fall, she co-founded a health informatics company, Storm Informatics Inc. Based in Nashville, Melissa manages and analyzes confidential healthcare data for clinical research trials, delivers HIPAA-compliant communications, oversees business operations and conducts ongoing market research.

Melissa also has turned her best friend’s tragedy, which led her down this path, into good, forming a nonprofit foundation to advocate for suicide awareness. She organizes and attends local youth outreach events and speaks to at-risk youth in high school. Melissa also endowed the Emily Elizabeth Walker Memorial Scholarship, a four-year scholarship to Martin Methodist College that she awards to two students every year.

Through it all, Melissa, a member of Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, has maintained a 3.96 GPA.

By Lauren Comander
Writer
College of Business