Jammin' Jacuzzi

A profile article on Melissa Lee Radebe
by: Anthony Michael Setlogelo

Melissa Lee Radebe is an aspiring journalist currently doing her first year at Rhodes University. Her friends say she has a bubbly, sparkling personality with an assertive “don’t mess with me” kind of attitude.
To this point in her first year she has excelled exceptionally in her journalistic academics, and has been one of the top in her class. During the course of her first year receiving the prestigious David Rabkin Scholarship from the Rhodes University’s Journalism Department, her future in the journalism field seems inevitably prosperous.
After going through struggles of indecision, Radebe decided to pursue journalism because of “certain personal things that have happened in my life” and wishes to ”Help people so that they can also help others...sounds cliché but it is what I want to do”. Her personality comes off as welcoming and comfortable but her assertiveness and strong-minded values are hardly overshadowed.
Since starting her journalistic career at Rhodes University, Melissa has become an “active’ socialite, when asked about how she balances between the social and academic she said “You have to use your time very effectively, time management is very important.” She thinks very highly of the people she’s met at Rhodes and doesn’t think that the ‘reputation’ that precedes Rhodes university has affected her because , “you choose to do the things you do” and states that university students make the choices they make only because they think they can handle it, if they wouldn’t then they wouldn’t be trying it.
Respect, Dignity and integrity are the three things Radebe chooses to live by she believes that “as humans we should respect each other because of the human similarity”, and she assertively practices “practicing what you preach for” and fights for the adoption of this ideal.
Melissa Radebe does not “idealize” anyone, and she constantly advises her peers to “be who they feel they should be”, “there’s no point in holding back, you’ll only be hiding from yourself.”
Her assertive, slightly-aggressive view on life adds even more excitement to her ‘bubbly’ personality and makes her that much more easy to talk to. She holds her friends dear to her heart and keeps those few in her heart dear.