Convocation

As early as Grade 6, Brooke Meloche was making her own microscope slides out of sand, skin cells and anything else she could find. What began as a childhood habit of examining the world up close would eventually grow into a career designing aerospace technology. After watching her mother, a school principal, lead with confidence throughout her childhood in LaSalle, Ont., Meloche developed a quiet certainty that she could do the same. “That behavior was modeled for me at home, so I believed I could do anything,” said Meloche. “For so long I wasn’t even aware that there was a time when women weren’t allowed to be mechanical engineers.” That belief shaped Meloche’s path at Western University, where she is the first student to graduate with a dual degree in integrated science – with an honours specialization in astrophysics – and mechanical engineering. In her years at Western, Meloche prioritized building a path defined by curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking and student leadership.  

Designing her own degree

Meloche chose Western for the opportunity to design her degree through the modular system and explore the integrated science program. Drawn to interdisciplinary education, Meloche saw the value in understanding the big picture through various perspectives. “I wanted to learn how to think, apply and decompose a problem. To do that, you need to understand more than just one area of study,” she said. That commitment to diverse education was reflected throughout Meloche’s undergraduate degree. She was quickly captivated by astrophysics, inspiring her initial specialization within integrated science. It was after taking Physics 2910, where she performed hands-on lab work – building circuits and coding – when Meloche realized she wanted to apply scientific knowledge more tangibly. “I don’t want to only do research,” she said. After three years working toward her integrated science degree, Meloche decided she wanted to start a second degree in mechanical engineering to apply her research to practical projects. After months of designing the module alongside an academic advisor, Meloche became Western’s first student to pursue the ambitious dual program.

“Working across subjects has made me a better academic.” – Brooke Meloche, Western integrated science and mechanical engineering graduate

 

Leading outside the classroom

Beyond gaining an interdisciplinary perspective in her academic work, Meloche also leveraged opportunities at Western to diversify her extracurricular experiences. Outside the classroom, she immersed herself in campus life. As a vice president for the Physics and Astronomy Student Association, Meloche organized science help sessions and supported students navigating challenging coursework. She also served as a student representative and mentor for peers in integrated science and mechanical engineering, offering guidance to younger students – specifically other women in science – to build confidence in their abilities. “I felt very fulfilled being able to give younger women a candid idea of my experience as a woman in science and guide them through similar situations,” Meloche said. In addition to academic leadership, Meloche was a Western all-girl cheerleader and a pole vaulter alongside London Western track and field club. For her, sports were not just a break from studying, but another way to engage in the principles of physics. “It’s funny how my interests intersect because on the track, I’ll think about things like my centre of mass being off and engage in more technical feedback,” Meloche said. Academic excellence and a diverse resume landed her an engineering co-op internship at Schaeffler Group, a company that manufactures high-precision bearings for the aerospace industry in Stratford, Ont. There, she spent 16 months gaining the hands-on experience she craved. Beginning in a technical design role using computer-aided drafting, Meloche eventually transitioned into a client-facing position, coordinating complex projects and working directly with customers. It was Meloche’s leadership skills that supported her latitude at Schaeffler. There, she described having many significant male mentors and a sole female mentor that made the biggest impact. “It was a case of women helping women, which is something unique from male mentorship,” Meloche said. “I’m excited to hopefully be an example of success for other women someday.”  

Pursuing an interdisciplinary career

Meloche said her experience pursuing the unique dual degree pushed her to grow into a confident leader. She is now a two-time recipient of the Unifor Southwestern Ontario Women’s Network’s Women RISE Bursary (2023 and 2025), which recognizes women in leadership, and has been acknowledged for her work with Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Education initiatives. Through a social media campaign she helped develop, Meloche worked to inspire girls in elementary school – the same age she was when she discovered her love for science.

“I want young girls to know it’s OK to not know what you want to do just yet, but don’t count yourself out either.” – Brooke Meloche, Western integrated science and mechanical engineering graduate

For Meloche, success has never been about having everything figured out, but about taking the next step with confidence. As Meloche prepares to return to Schaeffler in the company’s accelerated leadership program after graduation, she is focused on advancing her thinking and creating space for others to follow. The program will see her rotate through multiple roles, building the technical and leadership skills needed to guide future engineering teams. From a childhood spent peering through a microscope to a career designing components destined for flight, Meloche is eager to continue mentoring the next generation of leaders by leaning on the curiosity, determination and diverse perspectives she found at Western. “Trying is the most important part; it’s never too late to start. Pursuing your passions and believing in yourself is so powerful.” Meloche is one of 8,900 Western students graduating during spring convocation, joining the global network of 382,000 alumni around the world.