Growing up with a twin brother in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Melanie Oden `25 said she was always interested in interdisciplinary education and immediately knew Grinnell was the right place for her during a campus tour. Guided by her desire to discover how power, knowledge and beliefs influence one another through social structures, she was initially conflicted between philosophy and sociology, eventually choosing the latter.
Her second major, Japanese, which makes her the only student from the class of `25 with this unique combination, simply began with Oden’s love for anime and manga, where she lists “Soul Levelling,” “Naruto”, and “Haikyuu!!” as her favourites. Her passion for the language led Oden to embark on a year-long study abroad in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan, before even officially declaring the major.
Oden said that her experience in Japan changed how she viewed living in the United States.
“As a Black woman, I’m already othered due to me being black … when I was in Japan, I was not only a Black woman, I was also not Japanese,” Oden said. “That kind of reset my entire sense of place in a way that I was uncomfortable … and then I got used to it because at the end of the day, you realize that what you’re doing is not wrong, what you’re doing is different.”
Ever since her experience in Japan, she has chosen to wear her hair in its natural style, which Oden said has allowed her to know herself better.
During her time studying in Japan, Oden took a class called “Movements in Intellectual History,” where she explored the concept of “vanishing villages” — rural communities facing decline as younger generations leave for the cities.
Through a novel about efforts to preserve the culture of one such village, she saw how storytelling can be used to revive interest in forgotten places and even stimulate local economies. She especially appreciated learning about regions outside the urban spotlight, like Nikkō, a historically rich area a few hours north of Tokyo. Being able to visit these places after reading about them made the experience even more meaningful. For Oden, it deepened her sociological interest in how communities adapt to demographic and cultural shifts.
Oden did not originally come to Grinnell to be a student athlete for the track and field team, but after a Grinnell alum from her high school reached out to her about joining the team — she did.
Oden said that adjusting to the demands of being a student-athlete was challenging at first, but over time, she found balance, culminating in her most successful season as a senior, even after missing a year to study abroad in Japan.
“One thing I’ve learned through track is just being secure in yourself,” Oden said. “It’s easy to discount yourself … but it’s really just you on that runway.”
Surrounded by teammates, many of whom she considers her role models, she always stayed motivated to keep pushing herself.
However, some of Oden’s favourite memories as an athlete come from the side of the track where she always enjoyed cheering for her teammates. “I love to cheer. Love, love, love! I love seeing my team excel,” Oden said.
One moment that Oden said stands out to her came during her second year at the outdoor Conference meet, when teammate Kylie Klassen `25 was racing the 800 meters in pursuit of a personal record. “I was jumping right next to the lane,” Oden said. “There’s a fire picture of me cheering her on. I just remember yelling, ‘Yeah, it’s burning, isn’t it? You gotta go!’”
For Oden, cheering is about being part of something bigger. “It’s so cool to see them do something I can’t do — but I feel like I’m right there with them,” Oden said.Another memory Oden shared with a laugh was from the end of a meet at Luther College, when the National Anthem audio glitched and scattered groups in the crowd began singing out of sync. “I was getting tired of hearing different people sing it differently and not together, so I turned to the whole crowd and said, ‘Come on, people!’ And then we all started singing the anthem together. It was so funny,” Oden said.
A Mellon Mays Fellow, Oden said pursuing a doctorate might be in her plans, but first, she will move to Tacoma, Washington, to live with her aunt, who works for the Tacoma Black Fund. There, she wishes to work for a nonprofit organization and continue to engage with the Japanese community.
“I want to work for a nonprofit organization that specializes in community action, engaging in projects and practices that aim to be more democratic and egalitarian,” she said. She is particularly interested in sustainable development and how racial demographics impact social spheres.
Another path Oden is considering is getting her teaching license, inspired by her time as an English tutor for middle school boys in Japan. She recalled that most of her students were initially quiet — however, when she found common ground with a student in their love for One Direction and Justin Bieber, that broke the ice.
“Another student was really into gaming,” Oden said, “so I had to look up some stuff, but we got the conversation going.” She enjoyed these moments of connection and how they helped her reflect on what really matters in education.
“My mom always says the world is my oyster,” Oden added. “I’m not in a rush to figure everything out. I know I’ll need to support myself eventually, but there’s no reason I can’t have fun with it along the way.”
