Parvati Melton, Vista Community College
Transfer University: UC Berkeley
Career Choice: Business Administration
To read through her resume and listen to Parvati Melton talk about her life is to wonder whether she has an extra twenty-four hours that most people don’t have.
Since Melton enrolled at Vista College when she was 16 as an early graduate from Emeryville High School, her life has included going to school full-time, teaching, modeling, performing, doing test shoots, acting, doing interviews for magazines and winning beauty pageants. She currently holds the United States title for modeling with the Miss India Le Visage USA beauty competition, as well as numerous other titles in dancing and figure skating.
Recently, she was awarded $5,000 expense paid trip to Beirut to represent Southeast Asian women in an international beauty and talent pageant.
“I live by the quote that the world will never inspire you,” Melton said, “You have to inspire yourself. I have all these talents and traits and eventually I will see what carries me on. I see myself focusing on one thing once I succeed with it.”
Her goals include being a South Asian model to succeed in the international modeling industry and using her success to encourage other ethnic women from other Asian countries to succeed. Having five languages under her belt (English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Gujarati) and so much experience at such a young age, she feels she is well on her way to a successful career, especially since she intends to be part of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. When asked what she enjoys about competing in pageants, it’s the uncertainty she speaks of.
“The pageants are not just about beauty,” Melton said, “They’re about the way you present yourself, about your confidence. What excites me the most is the communication, the fact of not knowing how the night is going to end and competing with so many talented, beautiful women.”
But beauty pageants are not all Melton plans for her future. She intends to go to UC Berkeley for a degree in business administration.
“Business interests me because I have very good people skills and I would be good at international relations,” Melton said. “I feel I have talent in that area, even if I have a passion for my other work, I think it’s important to have that foundation too.”
At the end of her four-page resume packed with awards and experience, Melton attaches a personal statement that ends with her personal philosophy of life.
“When life pushes you back a step, take two steps forward.”
