Home Institution: University of the Philippines Visayas

Host Institution:

Award Name: Fulbright Exchange Student Program Scholarship

Discipline: Communication and Media Studies

Award Year: 2022

Melbourne is an undergraduate at the University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City, Philippines, majoring in Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies. In addition to his studies, he is a full-time corporate employee of JP Morgan Chase bank in Teleperformance Philippines to help his family afloat in these trying times. With a desire to become an international public speaker, Melbourne hopes to gain more knowledge through direct experience. As a Fulbright Scholar, he will study more on the intricacies of communication amidst the cultural and demographical barriers and media operationalization in another country. In response to the escalation of global concerns, he aspires to widen his knowledge about the current state of affairs of the host country to develop his skills and become an excellent diplomat in the future equipped with the wisdom he acquires during the program.

From environmental to humanitarian non-profit organizations, Melbourne is enthusiastic about volunteering or organizing programs that benefit the general public. Melbourne has several affiliations at his present university, and he is eager to acquire more experience to become an effective catalyst for change in the future. In his spare time, he enjoys playing video games with his family or binge-watch English television shows.