Melanie Boyce Shares Her Journey in Corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Pt. II
In Part II, our interview will cover Melanie's experience learning on the job, embracing change, and building the role you want to see yourself in.
By Norrell Edwards — July 19, 2023
We are picking up where we left off in our interview with Melanie Boyce, Manager of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging for Capital One, based in New York City. In Part II, our interview will cover Melanie's experience learning on the job, embracing change, and building the role you want to see yourself in.
Learning on the Job
Dr. Norrell Edwards:
Given what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently? Are there classes you wish you took? Perhaps more quantitative ones? Or do you feel like you were able to get everything you needed along the way?Melanie Boyce:
The classes I took influenced the career I have right now. From taking German Fairy Tales to Law, Society and Civil Rights—they all helped and primed me. Maybe I would have taken more statistics classes. That would have helped me feel more comfortable in my graduate program. Luckily my instructors were ready to start from scratch with those of us who needed it, learning different software's like R, Stata, and SPSS.M:
Now, a lot of work I do is in Excel. I had great co-workers throughout my time who were like here are the tricks of Excel; Don't use your mouse at all. You should be able to navigate Excel with just your keyboard. Flip through different datasets with your keyboard. I was able to soak up everything.N:
It sounds like you were able to get great mentorship and guidance both in graduate school and at work.N:
I've noticed a rise in tech bootcamps and online certificates. These are ways for people to get extra credentials that might hopefully trigger promotion or open new job opportunities. Have you done any certificates that were helpful?M:
No, I actually have not. I really was able to gain all my experience through doing it. As a researcher at Cambridge, I was studying the effect of women returnship programs for female lawyers at firms. A lot of women tend to leave firms after they've had children and instead, they go work as in-house legal somewhere else. Firms are interested in how they can retain that talent. That was full circle for me because prior to moving to the UK for graduate school, I had spent two years working at a law firm. But there are some great programs in diversity providing certificate education for those who really want to get further education. I'm just lucky to have gotten everything on the job.Embracing Change and Deviation on Your Career Journey
N:
I see A LOT of students focused on streamlining their studies like THIS major and THESE courses will get me THIS job; they know exactly what their plan is and are loath to deviate from it. You followed your passion, and it worked out. What's your opinion on the extent to which that is a replicable method? Or what are your thoughts on students determining their career and working backwards?M:
I always highly encourage using college as a time to just explore, especially those first two years. If you have a slight interest, then definitely see if there's an avenue you can take to explore it. That could be through a class, through a club or even a volunteer opportunity—try your best to expose yourself to as many different things as possible.M:
I came into college thinking I was going to be pre-med, and I didn't even take a science class my entire time because I enjoyed the social sciences so much. I didn't expect, at all, to be in diversity through analytics. That wasn't my plan at all. There are so many different jobs within any field. You could work in finance & accounting in film and entertainment. Every job needs finance & accounting including film makers. There's legal and video games. There's so many different ways to pursue your passions & interests without necessarily going the traditional route. There's so many ways to use the skill set you develop from college.Building Your Own Lane
N:
We especially see, in this changing economy and world we're in, that new careers, businesses and industries crop up in response to real life issues. We've got to be more flexible and open-minded because you just never know how things might shift.N:
I'll never forget Issa Rae — this media powerhouse was yet to be Issa Rae — when we were in college. She was still on YouTube doing the "YouTube thing." She said some of her friends or acquaintances would talk down to her a bit and ask, "oh are you still doing that YouTube stuff?"N:
Even in her web series there was a skit in response to the question: "You majored in Black Studies, what are you going to do with that?" Back then people thought there's nothing you can do with a major in Black Studies, but now? There's so much to do. The whole field of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) is centered around differences such as race.M:
It's important to avoid thinking that you can never 'create your role.' I know a lot of folks who will go into a company, work on something then emphasize their interest and passion about X. Since they're already in, the company has an investment in their development and the work they do. A lot of people are able to create their own projects and roles. They say, 'I want to work on this' and 'this is how it's valuable to the business.' You'd be surprised how many companies support that.N:
Yea it's all about making the case for your ideas. If you've been at a place a year or more and built a good rapport, then they should support you. It's like if you build it, they'll come. They already trust and believe you. If they don't then that's the signal to re-evaluate that relationship and how long you want to stay there.M:
I don't want to downplay the significance of having a career idea or goal to start. I wanted, at one point, to be a lawyer. I had a plan, but that didn't work out. I thought OK, I know what I love to do. I love looking at underrepresented populations in industries and there's at least one in every industry. How do we dismantle barriers to entry? How do we increase the pool of candidates? We don't want quotas. We are asking for an increased pipeline. How do we expose more folks to the jobs? Do they even know this is a viable option?M:
That's what it's about—increasing awareness and letting people know—yea you're welcome here. We encourage you to put your hat in the ring. At least that's what it is to me. Don't think because you're studying X, you'll never be able to take up space here.Major Takeaways
If you're transitioning into a graduate program in a field different from your undergraduate degree, find out how well-resourced that program is to supportive students from different fields. Not all programs have instructors willing to cover fundamental materials. Ask current grad students in the program about their experience with professors and whether the department offers a "methods" course. Work, like school, is a community. Learning how to understand, engage and collaborate with stakeholders is a critical and important skill. New industries are constantly being created and adaptability is critical for success. If you've landed at a good organization, you might have the opportunity to build your own portfolio and role.
Norrell Edwards
Norrell Edwards is a scholar, educator, and communications consultant for non-profit organizations. Her employment experience and research interests place her work at the nexus of global Black identity, cultural memory, and social justice. Norrell graduated with a BA in English Literature from Hunter’s College followed by a PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park in 20th and 21st Century Black Diaspora Literature.
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