We are proud to have Melissa Wilkinson serve as our 2023-2024 Parent of the Year. Melissa was nominated by her daughter, Gabriella Romano ’24, who surprised her virtually from Scotland on a study abroad trip.
In her nomination, Gabriella describes her mother as embodying all the Aggie core values but especially Excellence and Selfless-Service. “My mother embodies these values through her work with my older brother and others with disabilities,” she said.
This selfless service and dedication to excellence carried over to Melissa’s job working with high school students with disabilities. As the transition coordinator, Melissa works to determine students' interests and academic ability and then connects them with options, whether that is college, the workforce, or long-term care solutions.
When asked what her initial reaction was, Melissa said, “Disbelief. Disbelief was soon followed by tears as I realized that Gaby was on a video call telling me all I meant to her.”
The press release announcing Melissa's status as Parent of the Year can be found at today.tamu.edu.