Melina Nicolaides

From an early age, Melina’s experience of life was shaped by repeated relocation between different regions of the world. Living in dissimilar places required adapting to multiple educational systems, appreciating the commonalities, but also understanding the unique variances found across very diverse cultures.

In 2015, Melina merged her interests and founded ACTIVATE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding new pathways to positive change within the intersections of the fields of science, the arts and culture, focused on the Eastern Mediterranean and MENA region. She was drawn to the theme at the heart of the ‘Ages of Globalization’ which celebrates interconnectedness and the value of diversity for the betterment of our societies and the wellbeing of our planet.

She is eager to contribute her own experiences to help bring this powerful connective message to more people through creative regional collaborations and partnerships which develop the vision and content of the course in unique and innovative ways. Melina holds an BA in History from Princeton University and a multidisciplinary MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art.