Whether Melanie Langgle ’24 was sitting at her desk or sitting on the sidelines, she often felt like she was falling behind. From struggling to grasp lessons throughout grade school to training tirelessly for volleyball, every step of her journey was a fight to prove herself.

At just 5-feet 2-inches, she wasn’t the tallest on the volleyball court, but her fundamentals, determination and father’s support helped her secure a full-ride college scholarship. When her collegiate athletic career ended abruptly, Langgle was forced to confront a major insecurity: was she truly smart enough to find her place in the world? For this UCF anthropology graduate, the answer came through perseverance, a community of like-minded peers and a rediscovered sense of purpose.

Breaking Ground

Langgle’s love for volleyball started at nine years old. Her father’s promise to help her achieve her dream of playing college volleyball became the reason she pursued higher education instead of joining the U.S. Marines like her father and uncles. However, losing her athletic scholarship derailed her plans and left her paying for college out of pocket.

“After losing my athletic scholarship, I started to think about what I really wanted to do with my life. [UCF] gave me the room to figure out what I wanted and didn’t want,” she says. “I knew that [UCF] has opportunities that I could take advantage of, which is really what drew me to [it].”

After transferring to UCF in 2022, she found exactly what she needed: a community of mentors and peers who helped her rediscover her confidence.

Finding Anthropology — And Herself

Initially a history major, Langgle discovered her passion for anthropology while taking courses on the discipline, realizing its critical role in contributing knowledge for historians to write about. Joining UCF’s Hominids Anonymous club, the university’s official undergraduate anthropology club, introduced her to a network of like-minded students and internship opportunities.

“I found a community of peers and mentors who are supportive, uplifting and took me seriously right away — which hasn’t always been the case in my life,” she says. “I had a great foundation with the anthropology department, my advisors and just [UCF] itself.”

Her most transformative experience came through the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project, a for-credit internship in collaboration with the U.S. Space Force, where she helped excavate artifacts on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s property.

This experience unexpectedly allowed Langgle to find purpose in her past, deepening her connection to her family’s history as homesteaders from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

“I got to restore graves that were my direct descendants,” she says. “My grandma was born out there, and since people aren’t allowed there anymore, I was able to share [my experience] with her. Now I know what she’s talking about when she would tell me stories of her growing up.”

Her internship also inspired her honors undergraduate thesis, which tackled a 200-year-old mystery of Florida mortuary practices. At her first professional archaeological conference, experienced archaeologists offered her invaluable feedback that helped shape her research.

“I called [Sandra Wheeler, a senior anthropology lecturer at UCF,] when I finally figured out my thesis,” Langgle says. “She was so excited, and we talked about [my discovery] for a long time. [That moment] inspired me to become a professor. I want to create those same moments [for students], helping them feel that pride and realize they can [accomplish] anything.”

This shared excitement and inspiration is clearly mutual, as Wheeler reflects on Langgle’s growth throughout her academic journey.

“Melanie is an incredibly passionate, bright and driven student; it was such a pleasure watching her develop as a scholar through her anthropology coursework and honors undergraduate thesis research,” Wheeler says. “I am certain her future success in the field of archaeology will have great impacts on how we interpret and understand the past.”

Building a Foundation for the Future

Langgle takes pride in going above and beyond for her education. As a first-generation college student from a low-income family, she balanced multiple jobs to cover her college tuition, but she never let that stand in her way. She leveraged the resources at her disposal.

As a Burnett Honors Scholar, Langgle took advantage of her access to scholarships to fund conferences and research opportunities, including the University of Notre Dame’s Summer Research Opportunities Program. This past summer, Langgle broadened her skills by working in Midwestern fields digging up stone arrowheads to understand how the environment impacts prehistoric societies. She was introduced to new archaeological methods and grant writing, plus made connections within various departments at the university.

As Langgle prepares to graduate at 25, she looks back on her journey with gratitude.

“The most rewarding part of my UCF journey has been finding my sense of purpose,” she says. “My peers and mentors have instilled more confidence in me than I’ve ever had. Through their encouragement, I’m applying to doctoral [programs].”

While awaiting her admittance, Langgle is staying busy. She’s working on publications — one of which focuses on zooarchaeology — and has been accepted into the Irish Heritage School’s osteology program, where she’ll spend a week in Ireland in March 2025.

“My time at UCF reflects what can happen when I roll up my sleeves and take myself seriously,” she says. “I spent so much of my life doubting my capabilities, but being [at UCF] has taught me that that [mindset] was holding me back from reaching my full potential, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”