Eight years ago, a cancer diagnosis lit a path in Andrea Melchiorre’s life when she leaned into a simple truth: connection heals. It wasn’t just the medical care that sustained her, it was the conversations, the quiet support, the shared empathy of others who had walked the same road. It was this experience that awakened her deeper calling. Not just to heal, but to help others heal.

Andrea’s pursuit of her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at FDU has put her on a path toward professional training, advocacy, and support for others. At FDU, Andrea didn’t just attend classes. She built bridges. She saw the stress and isolation students were facing, especially in the wake of a pandemic and rising mental health challenges, and knew she could do something.

Together with her husband Anthony, Andrea became a foundational supporter of the Transforming College Campuses initiative, helping to launch fellowships and programs that provide students with mental health resources, peer support, and real tools for navigating their lives. Through conversations with President Michael Avaltroni and other FDU leaders, the vision took shape and became a movement to reduce stigma, promote resilience, and create a campus culture of care. Even as she counsels patients at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, where the Melchiorre Cancer Center will open its doors this fall, Andrea remains deeply connected to FDU’s mission. 

As the 2025 FDU Forward Transformational Honoree, Andrea stands as living proof that with compassion, commitment, and community, transformation is not only possible, it’s inevitable.

Learn more about FDU Forward