Written by: WSCL Marketing Team
Melina Khadivi, a 2L at Western State College of Law and Event Coordinator for the Middle Eastern Law Students Association (MELSA), quickly got involved in building community on campus when she started law school. With interests in personal injury law and advocacy, she is focused on sharpening the skills she’ll need to support people in difficult legal situations, while at the same time, creating a safe and comfortable space for her peers.
Melina’s story underscores the role representation and community play in the experience of every law school student. As an Iranian American student, being involved with an organization like MELSA became a pinnacle of her law school experience. She’s met students with similar backgrounds, taken on leadership responsibilities, and helped foster a supportive environment that encourages students to be active academically, as well as personally, and become a fundamental part of the tight-knit fabric that makes Western State what it is.
Finding Passion in Personal Injury Law
During her time at Western State, the oldest law school in Orange County, Melina Khadivi has grown a strong interest in two areas: personal injury law, and domestic violence. Both areas, she explains, allow attorneys to help people navigate the law during the most difficult times. “My favorite type of law is probably personal injury,” she says. “I’m also interested in domestic violence, but personal injury law is my main focus.”
Melina’s interest in personal injury law was sparked when she saw how strong a mark the legal system can leave behind, even when a case never moves forward. She gave examples of cases where someone may get arrested but never actually get charged. Yet the impact lingers, like a stain that just doesn’t fully wash out. These are experiences that can follow someone for a very long time. It’s that reality that reeled her in toward advocacy.
As she progresses through law school, Melina is exploring ways to use her legal education to help people in just those situations. Being focused on making a tangible impact, she explains, is a direct result of the strong, hands-on, skills-based training she received at Western State, where students are encouraged to put the legal theory they learn in class to use in real-world applications.
Why Western State Stood Out
When Melina was deciding what school she was going to spend the next three years of her life at, the feeling she got during her Western State visit stood out right away. The atmosphere felt collaborative, and she says that made her decision easier. “I chose Western State because of its strong sense of community and its clear commitment to student success,” she says. “From the moment I visited the campus, I felt that everyone was very supportive rather than competitive like other schools.”
When classes started, she noticed the tight-knit, supportive environment right away. Professors were eager to help students. She also liked the fact that the curriculum was very focused on building practical legal skills. “I’ve noticed the professors were very accessible,” she states. “There was an emphasis on practical skills training, and that stood out to me. It has been pretty rewarding because what I saw during my visit was very similar to my actual experience.”
For Melina, that consistency mattered. The environment made her feel comfortable asking questions, attending office hours, and reaching out when she needed help. She also pointed to the school’s bar passage rates, with 82% of Western State’s graduates passing on their first try in July 2025. The strong academic support programs available stood out to her as well, making her confident that at Western State, she’s being prepared for law school as well as what comes after graduation.
Celebrating Iranian American Heritage Month
Iranian American Heritage Month holds special meaning for Melina Khadivi. Her background, she says, has shaped how she approaches challenges, values education, and connects with her community. “I feel like my heritage definitely has perseverance and resilience and a deep cultural pride,” she says. “I’m very proud to be Iranian, and I try to show up for my community as much as I can.”
Growing up, she saw how difficult it was for family members to come to the United States. That stayed with her. Seeing how complicated and uncertain that process could be showed her how important it was to have access to legal guidance. “I was raised with a strong emphasis on education and responsibility,” Melina explains. “At the same time, I witnessed people in my family from Iran have trouble coming to the United States. So it definitely opened my eyes to how important immigration lawyers are.”
Experiences like those have had a strong influence on what representation means to her. For Melina, Iranian American Heritage Month is about celebrating culture, connecting with others, and feeling supported. “Celebrating Iranian American Heritage Month is important because representation matters,” she says. “It’s nice to be seen and heard. If your school supports you, it makes you feel a lot better.”
Making space for these kinds of conversations helps bring students from similar cultures together. It also fosters a stronger sense of community on campus, where students from different backgrounds can connect and support each other.
Finding Community With MELSA
Melina initially joined MELSA to support her best friend and current MELSA President, Noelle Nourafshan. But she eventually took on a role as the Event Coordinator, where she helps organize events that help students connect. “Because of my culture, I thought it would be nice to be involved with other people that share similar traditions and meet different people,” she explains.
Her involvement with MELSA also led to connecting with Middle Eastern student organizations at other law schools, opening the door for collaboration across campuses. “I reached out to Chapman and UCI and networked with their Middle Eastern clubs, and now we’re going to do something together,” she says with a smile. “Had I not been in MELSA, I probably wouldn’t have connected with them.”
What began as showing up for a friend expanded into something even bigger. Taking on an active role in MELSA created new opportunities for herself and fellow students to meet peers, share experiences, and build relationships with law students of similar backgrounds, both at Western State and beyond.
A Community That Supports Student Growth
Melina says the support system at Western State has made a real difference in her experience, especially with law school being so difficult. Knowing there are people she can reach out to has helped her stay grounded. “Having good resources around you is very important because law school is already hard as it is,” she says. “It encourages you to keep going.”
The relationships she’s built with faculty and mentors have helped her stay on track. That level of connection, she says, is what creates the close-knit feel of the campus. “It’s a nice little community,” she says. “Professors actually know your name, which means a lot.”
For Melina, the familiarity made it easier for her to learn to adjust to all the different teaching styles she encountered with her professors. Having that level of comfort has played a large part in her academic progress. “Being able to advance in my skills and really learn and get better is very important to me,” she says. “It allows me to excel in my academics.”
Getting Involved and Staying Balanced
One thing Melina emphasizes strongly for new students is getting involved early, networking, and being open to new opportunities. “Step outside your comfort zone early,” she advises. “Join organizations, attend events, and introduce yourself to professors. Don’t be afraid to pursue leadership roles.”
She also says staying balanced is crucial in law school. The coursework is demanding and can be difficult, but she believes making time for personal well-being matters just as much as studying does to succeed in a notoriously difficult field. “I think self-care is very important,” she says. “Going to the gym, taking care of yourself, being able to relax, it’s really important.” For Melina, making time for herself to recharge is what helps her stay focused and avoid burnout, especially during busy periods of the semester.
Connecting Over Shared Experiences
Having a community with similar cultural backgrounds has really benefited Melina’s experience at Western State. She says being surrounded by other Iranian and Middle Eastern students has helped her feel more comfortable and connected on campus. “It’s nice to be able to relate to other students,” she says. “The culture is definitely here at this school.”
Student organizations like MELSA help create these kinds of spaces. Through events and collaboration, students get to meet others who understand each other’s traditions, share experiences, and build friendships. Being part of MELSA has made law school feel more welcoming for Melina, while also giving her the chance to offer that same sense of community for other students.
Western State: A Supportive, Empowering, and Community-Driven Law School
There are three words that come to Melina’s mind when she thinks of Western State: “Supportive, empowering, and community-driven.” Those qualities, she says, are woven into both the academic environment and the relationships students build along the way. From faculty support to getting involved in student organizations like MELSA, her experience has been shaped by opportunities to connect with others and grow both personally and professionally.
She also says that law school is a time for self-discovery. “I don’t think going to law school is just about earning a degree,” she says. “I think it’s about finding your voice and who you are.”
Through her involvement on campus, her cultural advocacy, and her academic journey, Melina continues to build that voice while contributing to the sense of community that defines Western State.
