Meet 2025 Valedictorian Melissa Cortez

This week, the Class of 2025 prepares to cross the stage at Fall Convocation. Ahead of the celebrations, current social work student Darya sat down with valedictorian Melissa Cortez (Master of Social Work, Critical Analysis) to talk about her time at McMaster.

Looking back on your time at McMaster, how has it shaped the person you are today?

Before coming to McMaster, I didn’t know how impactful and integral social work can be for community engagement and identity navigation. In fact, coming into my Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), I thought I had the whole school routine down. But what started as an expectation of going through the motions at school quickly turned into endless opportunities for me to not only connect with the community, but also with myself. I’ve connected with so many social workers and community organizations within the past year alone, all thanks to the connections I made at McMaster and the never-ending encouragement I get from my friends and mentors. I absolutely wouldn’t be who and where I am today without these experiences.

What is your favourite memory from your time at McMaster?

I honestly can’t pick one! I have three moments that really stand out as core memories during my time at McMaster. The first would be working on this year’s Social Work Research Day as a co-organizer and panelist. Exploring and celebrating culturally informed research in social justice, policy, and practice alongside my peers was so special. The second would be Tuloy Po Kayo, a student-organized gathering for grief, healing, and solidarity in response to the April 26th Lapu Lapu Day tragedy in Vancouver. This was such a meaningful moment as it highlighted the importance and power of community involvement and care. Lastly, I can’t leave out the day I successfully defended my thesis. Months of hard work, existential dread, and conversations led to a thesis I will forever hold dearly!

Can you share more about your MSW thesis and what inspired your research?

My thesis explored the experiences of second-generation Filipino children of careworkers in the greater Toronto and Hamilton area. This is a topic that has always been personal to me, and the opportunity to develop research through Filipino epistemologies was something I had never experienced until coming to McMaster. I vividly remember Anabelle Ragsag, Social Work PhD Candidate, joining one of my classes as a panelist during my BSW, and I was so inspired because she was the only Filipino I had come across at the time, not just in social work but in academia. I immediately reached out to her, and our conversation set me on a trajectory towards discovering my Filipino identity and (re)connecting with Filipino social workers across Canada.

Do you have any advice you’ve been given that you think students could benefit from?

Over the past year, there were so many moments where I didn’t know if this path was for me. Thankfully, I had so many people at McMaster to support me and keep me going. I think students who often find themselves in moments of self-doubt or confusion can benefit from what my support circle shared with me: you belong, and you matter. There will be spaces set up that ignore what you have to offer, invalidate the knowledge you hold, or downplay your values, aspirations, and skills. But know that despite and in spite of these barriers, you can contribute to meaningful change for the community.

How do you think it is going to feel crossing the convocation stage?

I might actually cry on stage! There will definitely be tears at some point during the day; it’s going to feel heavy. During my BSW graduation last year, my dad was unable to attend due to health reasons, but he promised to come to my MSW graduation the following year. Unfortunately, he passed away a few weeks before I started the MSW program. I just know that my dad will also be present, watching me cross the stage. I hope he’s proud.

Looking ahead, what does your journey hold as a new graduate?

This is something I’m still figuring out! I would love to continue exploring themes of second-generation identity, community engagement, and care work in academia through a PhD. But at the same time, I recently got married and want to live a small life as I continue getting to know my cultural heritage and identity on a local, micro-level scale. No matter what comes next, I just hope to carry kapwa. Kapwa is a core Filipino value of shared self, community, and deep interconnectedness. Finding kapwa at McMaster created such a meaningful space that I know I can connect with and lean on, wherever my future takes me.

Personal Acknowledgements

Valedictorian Melissa Cortez would like to thank  Dr. Jennifer Ma, Dr. Erin Kuri, Dr. Tara La Rose, Rochelle Maurice, Anabelle Ragsag, Dahlia Belfer, Sam Marroquin and Evan Gadil.