Trent Melendez '25 | The Mind-Body Connection: Turning Hospital Halls into Healing Spaces

A Fall River, Massachusetts native, he considered staying closer to home but ultimately chose Boston for its opportunities—both on campus and in the city’s world-class medical institutions. Living at Emmanuel has allowed him to fully engage in both.

Coming from a vocational high school, Trent entered Emmanuel’s nursing program with hands-on experience and a clear commitment to the field. Joining the College’s third nursing cohort, he was drawn to the excitement of shaping a growing program. “The faculty really value our feedback,” he shares. “They listen to us and make sure we’re getting what we need to succeed. It helps shape the program for future students.”

His academic journey began with science-heavy coursework like anatomy and physiology, providing a strong foundation for advanced nursing studies. He credits the nursing faculty, especially Associate Professor Dr. Christiana Akanegbu with helping him and his classmates connect complex concepts. “She makes everything come together in a way that just clicks,” he says.

His clinical experiences have taken him across Boston’s world-class medical institutions, from Spaulding Hospital’s organ transplant unit to St. Elizabeth’s medical-surgical floor, to Beth Israel’s psychiatric unit, and rotations at New England Baptist, Brigham and Women’s, and the Cambridge Health Alliance. These experiences exposed him to a range of specialties, including community health, maternity, and pediatrics.

“I feel lucky to be in this neighborhood, doing clinical rotations at hospitals that are among the best in the country,” he says.

Now completing his preceptorship at Faulkner Hospital in psychiatric nursing, Trent has found his calling. “Behavioral health took me by surprise,” he admits. “You see people on their worst days, and many patients have both medical issues like chronic illnesses and mental health challenges, but often only one gets proper attention.” 

Beyond his studies, Trent stays involved on campus. As a resident assistant in Saint Julie Hall, he values fostering community among students. He also serves as an instructional assistant in the nursing program, mentoring younger cohorts while gaining additional hands-on experience in Emmanuel’s state-of-the-art labs.

A first-generation college student, Trent is driven by a deeper purpose in his nursing philosophy—advocating for marginalized groups in healthcare, noting, “I want to be a safe space for people who feel overlooked in healthcare.”