Melissa Avelino
Title: investigative reporter
Contact: melissa.avelino@sdnewswatch.org
Languages spoken: Portuguese and English
Biography: Melissa Avelino dos Santos is an international student from Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil, entering her junior year at Augustana University in Sioux Falls. She received a Scripps Howard Fund Internship and is pursuing a double major in journalism, focusing on data journalism and data science, with minors in mathematics and science writing. At Augustana, Melissa has developed a passion for reporting and data-driven storytelling. As a staff journalist for the university yearbook, she has collaborated with a diverse team to cover campus events and craft compelling narratives. Her experience has sparked a growing interest in multimedia journalism and using data to uncover and explain stories that matter. Melissa brings a global perspective to her work, informed by her background and her role as a volunteer ambassador for the Augustana Cultural Exchange (ACE) program. There, she helped mentor new international students, strengthening her intercultural communication and deepening her belief in journalism’s role in fostering understanding. With a blend of technical skills and storytelling passion, Melissa aspires to become a versatile advertising and data storyteller — one who doesn’t just report facts but engages audiences through thoughtful, culturally informed narratives.