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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT
n her nearly eight years as executive director of the Durham Tech Foundation at Durham Technical Community College, Melissa Chappell has made it her mission to empower students to see their potential to create an impact. “I believe that everyone has conducted in 2019 revealed that, during the prior 12 months, something to share with their community,” she says. about half of Durham Tech respondents reported some indicator Born near Seoul, South Korea, Melissa’s adoptive family of housing insecurity, and one in five reported not having a home brought her home to Richmond, Virginia, when she was 6 for some period of time,” Melissa says. “These statistics are a call to months old. Her family moved to Cary when she was 5, and she action for us as our region continues its rapid growth.” would go on to attend N.C. State University. Melissa adds that it is an especially interesting time to work in She was working in Boston as a community organizer and grant fundraising as philanthropy evolves to become more inclusive and writer with a focus on youth jobs and environmental justice when equity-centered. “There is so much room for growth and innovation,” an opportunity to move to Durham arose in 2009. “I’ve been in she explains. Her favorite thing about her job is the goodwill Durham for about a decade now, and I love this city,” Melissa says. Durham Tech enjoys in the community. “My team works alongside Many of her family members are spread throughout the Carolinas, many people who care about the success of all our neighbors in which made the transition back to the area an easy one. Durham,” she says. “We’re also constantly learning – about shifting “Aside from my parents and siblings, I have seven nieces and workforce needs, new instructional resources or improved student nephews who are all college-aged or supports – and putting that knowledge older and are pursuing interesting into action to secure funding for our career paths of their own,” Melissa colleagues to pilot, scale or sustain says. “My eldest niece, Ellie Chappell, promising programs.” just completed a graduate internship This year in particular has been a at Durham Tech and is exploring a rewarding one for Melissa. Two young career in higher education.” alumni who received scholarships to Executive director, Melissa began working at Durham Tech early in her tenure have Durham Tech Foundation at Durham Technical Community College Durham Tech in 2010 and moved now created their own scholarship awards through a series of roles within the with the college. “We are so proud of Durham Tech Foundation before their success and honored that they are going to work for N.C. State, her alma mater, in 2013. When choosing to pay it forward to the next generation of students,” she says. her former boss left Durham Tech the following year, Melissa Outside of her Durham Tech duties, Melissa serves as social chair returned to lead the foundation as its executive director. for the Southwest Durham Rotary Club and recently joined the board “A typical day at work could consist of providing a campus tour of directors for Dress for Success Triangle. “They do vital work to for donors of our new maker space, planning a special event for the ready women for jobs in our community through professional attire, college’s 60th anniversary [in 2021] or collaborating with regional a supportive network and other resources,” Melissa says. “Their work partners on a life sciences-focused grant,” Melissa explains. fits hand in hand with the work of Durham Tech. We want to ensure She is also focused on advancing the college’s commitment that local residents are competitive candidates for local jobs with to addressing housing insecurity and homelessness among livable wages, and I look forward to supporting women building their students and neighbors through a new affordable housing careers in that capacity.” initiative. The first of its kind in North Carolina, the measure is Melissa continues to broaden her own education and values to focused on removing this barrier from the education equation by ensure she is best equipped to support her team. “Recently, I’ve spent providing a 124-unit affordable housing development on South time reflecting on Brené Brown’s writing on power – that it is infinite Briggs Avenue near Durham Tech’s Main Campus. “A survey and expands when shared with others,” she says. “Our Foundation team is considering how we might apply that principle to our work, and I encourage anyone entering this field to bring their whole, creative and authentic selves to the work.” – by Morgan Cartier Weston
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MELISSA CHAPPELL
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