People of Point Park: Nicholas Moran, '15, Choosing Me: The Unapologetic Pursuit of Happiness
Spring 2021
Alumni Spotlight
Name: Nyx Melody
Hometown: Hanover, PA
Now living in: New York City, NY
Job title: Licensed Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, and Anti-Oppression/LGBTQIPA+ Consultant
Employer: Nicholas Moran, LMHC Psychotherapy & Consultation Services
Degree earned: B.A. Psychology ‘15
Campus activities and awards: Honors Program, Honors Student Organization, United Student Government, Confluence Psychology Alliance, Green & Gold Society, Impulse Dance Team. I was a Dean's List and Presidential Scholarship Recipient each semester of undergrad. I received the Outstanding Honors Program Senior Award. I was also inducted into Alpha Chi National Collegiate Honors Society and Psi Chi International Honors Society in Psychology.
Describe Point Park in one word: SynergisticChange is Okay
“I couldn’t say no to Point Park,” said Nyx Melody as they reflect back on the college search process, “Point Park had offered such lovely financial support for me. I was super grateful for them.”
Nyx started attending Point Park as a Musical Theater major and Dance minor, but throughout their first year they began to question if this was the right course for them.
“I was like clinging to this thing that I always loved and thinking that had to be my future and also mourning it at the same time because I realized that I really wasn't the thing that was fulfilling me. It wasn't what I wanted to do as a professional trajectory.”
After leaving the Conservatory, Nyx started taking a variety of classes in pursuit of their career interests. They found some classes they enjoyed, but they soon realized that they would not commit to any path until they saw it was the right choice for them.
“I chose me, and I had no idea what that was going to look like, but I found myself in the Psychology department. The Psych department is actually one of the hidden gems of Point Park.”
The Right Avenues
Choosing to pursue psychology has led to many personal and professional opportunities for Nyx, including graduating from Columbia University, living in New York City, and working as a licensed clinician. But even before discovering their interest in Psychology, Nyx found that becoming involved in a wide variety of extracurricular activities was a passion of theirs that would lead to many opportunities throughout their time at Point Park.
“Starting my freshman year, I did Honors Program and Honors Student Organization just as a general member. What I got through the Honors Program is such a commitment to believing in myself, and my work, and my product, and my work ethic, and being empowered and emboldened to share that with other people.”
While pursuing their interests academically, Nyx also flourished as an actively involved student leader. Throughout their time at Point Park, they became involved in several different activities that led to lifelong lessons and friendships.
“I was really excited about Impulse because I had really enjoyed hip hop dancing when I was in high school. I was also on Green and Gold Society. And I got involved in Confluence Psychology Alliance because I started engaging in the Psychology department. I held the role of Treasurer there for my junior and senior years. And I got involved with USG.”
After getting involved in so many activities throughout their time at Point Park, Nyx realizes that many of the skills they learned through these activities have stuck with them throughout the rest of their education and into their career.
“It helped me hone my networking skills, my problem-solving skills, my creativity, everything that I got from being engaged in these different avenues. It has stuck with me post-graduation, the confidence and comfortability to enter into a conversation and share my opinion, introduce myself to folks, [and] just hand someone my business card and tell them what I'm doing.”
Flawed but Unique
While Nyx was an active member of the Point Park community, they still reflect on how the community was not always a protected environment for students.
“When I was there was really a lack of like understanding of where you could go and you're experiencing particular issues. For instance, I identify as a gender diverse person being nonbinary and there was something that I was certainly exploring then. There were certainly experiences that I had as a student that were uncomfortable, but I didn't really know where I could go, I didn't know who I could talk to. Realistically it's never a completely solved problem, but I'd like to believe it's better.”
Although some memories of their time at Point Park are not perfect, Nyx still remembers how much of a lasting impact Point Park has left on their life.
“I love the folks that I got to share space with. I was really humbled to have created a lot of the relationships that I did there that have definitely existed long after my graduation in 2015.”
Big Move, Big City
After completing their degree at Point Park, Nyx packed up a U-Haul with two Point Park friends and moved to New York to pursue their graduate education at Columbia University. Adjusting to the new environment while completing their education was challenging, but Nyx soon saw that they were ready to adapt and thrive.
“When I got to Columbia it was quite overwhelming to transition to a huge university and such a huge city. I'm really blessed to have had Pittsburgh as a medium. New York is a city full of so many people, but everybody is like already involved in their own routine and it's not as easy to create a sense of safety for your space or your network, and you really have to put in the work yourself to carve out your space and other people's lives”
After working part-time in the field during graduate school at Columbia, Nyx moved into working full-time in counseling upon graduation. They found that they were being exposed to a variety of worldviews, and cultures, and identities, and all new experiences that influenced their thinking and curiosity. Nyx realized that being able to apply critical thinking and curiosity was key in their job as a counselor, where people from all walks of life could be heard and understood.
“Being able to examine like how privilege impacts our work, how my identity may be keeping them from being their authentic selves and talking with their particular vernacular. It has definitely been really foundational for my work as a therapist, and also as a consultant and a supervisor, working towards holding spaces accountable and myself accountable for the work.”
Curiosity Leads to Opportunity
Nyx credits their own personal curiosity with fueling the desire to learn and grow in the environments they’re in. After being bullied as a child for their curious nature, Nyx found that this attribute would serve them well once nurtured in a more inclusive environment.
“At Point Park, I really started getting back in touch with that lens of curiosity and since then has been something that I continue to want to foster in all journeys and relationships. It really was reclaimed when I went to Point Park and something that continued to blossom like ever since leaving.”
Both in and out of the office, Nyx finds the time to engage with a number of social justice movements and initiatives, something that directly impacts them and their patients.
“I have felt a draw to this work, but also through working with my clients who have so many multiple minority and marginalized identities one right after another really encouraging folks in all avenues to be thinking about ways in which the systemic oppression impacts their lived experiences.”
Keep In Touch
Since their graduation, Nyx has always wanted to remain an active part of the Point Park community, which is how they first got involved with the Alumni Board. Joining the organization has allowed them to stay engaged with the community that they loved being a part of. Their advice to students connects with their own personal journey of staying true to you and finding what drives you.
“Get involved in what you're passionate about. If you can identify that thing that you really like, what gets you out of bed in the morning, you're going to be that much more fulfilled. Find the thing that you want to do and then choose it, choose you, choose that thing and pursue it unapologetically.”
More About: alumni, Psychology, Alumni Association Board
Updated 4/19/22