Melissa Cote
Director, Registration & Student Records

I am not a native Houstonian, but I’ve been out here since 2001 and have worked at the Jones School since 2005. Prior to that, I grew up a Marine Corps brat and spent most of high school and college in Virginia where my family is now settled. I earned a B.A. in theatre from Mary Washington College (now University of Mary Washington), and while my career has transitioned from stage management to education management, I am a regular patron of the theatre. My time off is typically split between time in VA with my family, theatre trips to NYC, or scuba diving vacations in the Caribbean with my dad and brothers (at least in my pre-pandemic life!). I graduated from the Rice MBA for Professionals Evening program in 2016 and now spend most of my time buried in data, trying to optimize the background pieces that support your academic experience.

What is your favorite quote and why?

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Seneca. I feel like this quote has been a guiding force in my life. One, either preparation or opportunity, doesn’t bear fruit without the other present. By working hard and finding ways to learn new skills, I have been ready to seize opportunities which were not always directly in my line of vision. And in combining these two facets, I think that I have been lucky indeed!

What are you reading?

I’m a pretty big bookworm and spend most of my reading time in mysteries or historical fiction (particularly related to WWII). I’m currently reading Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France’s Largest Spy Network Against Hitler. A very interesting book about one of the many fairly unknown people who had a significant impact on the outcome of the war.