She is from Lindenhurst, NY, and went to St. John the Baptist High School.

Personal: In high school, Melissa was on the academic honor roll, and a part of Who's Who in America: High School. Her parents are Anthony and Deborah McQuade, and her brothers are Anthony and Peter. Melissa's role model is her high school Spanish teacher Mrs. Patricia Withers. She chose SHU because of the program for her major and the equestrian team. She has been riding for three years. Her favorite sports teams are the Jets and the Mets. Melissa's major is Spanish and she wants to be a middle school or high school teacher.