Laurie Melnik
BA in English with an Emphasis in Dramatic Studies and a Minor in Speech Communication Studies
– Webster University, St. Louis
MFA in Theatre with a Concentration in Theatre for Young Audiences – University of Central Florida
MPA Nonprofit Management Candidate – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Laurie mentors and collaborates with teachers to connect drama with their curriculum and re-envision their classrooms as places of active learning. Her experience as a classroom teacher and a teaching artist has given her a diverse perspective of the purpose, placement, and perception of arts education in K-12 schools today. Constantly looking through a process-centered lens, her specialized training in methodologies of teaching drama, theatre for social change, and collaboration remain foundational aspects of her work.
As a community arts training (CAT) fellow at the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission, she investigated ways the arts can meaningfully partner with social service providers to forward community arts programs. In her current work, Laurie engages and presents on topics such as concept-based arts integration, bridging generational gaps, digital storytelling, and demystifying preconceived notions about the arts. As she shares her ideas across diverse fields of theatre and education, she continues to soak in and reflect upon varying viewpoints about arts education for today’s student.
