Melissa Lex

I'm an aspiring professional photographer currently in Dayton, Ohio pursuing my BFA in photography at the University of Dayton (UD) with an anticipated graduation of May 2026. I have a passion for human rights, mental health advocacy, and uplifting voices of those otherwise unheard.
After learning how to navigate a darkroom as well as operating a professional DSLR camera, I have had a passion for telling stories through photography. In my work, this fuses with my passion for telling the stories of my life as well as other's lives and my artistic vision.
I have loved photography and storytelling since I was a child, from picking up dance and learning performance art to the toy camera from VTech and the grainy images taken by a Nintendo DS to a dinky point and shoot gifted to me on my 13th birthday to shooting and editing images on my phone throughout high school. I began writing in middle school, starting as just a hobby and writing fictional situations about my friends and I, some of which were collaborative. I picked up and dropped writing throughout high school in favor of storytelling with photography and videography due to writer's block and theatre preventing me from continuing. During high school, I only had one goal: tell a story without words. I still write from time to time, mainly now for University of Dayton's Human Rights Center.
I later went on to learn Adobe Photoshop & Lightroom as well as how to operate an analog and DSLR camera during my freshman year of college. I choose to tell a story with my work – life as a visibly queer person in particular – sparked by my internship at the HRC and working with people of backgrounds and cultures different from my own.
At the HRC, I started as a podcast host for Sounds About Right and was essential in the release of the first season. I also drafted and designed the season cover, allowing us to have a base for future season covers. Before a major overhaul of our teams, I handled a lot of graphic design work for our instagram and twitter. I also write blogs, one of which a feature piece of my own speaking on the current state of transgender/lgbtq+ rights in the US and my own experiences. Another feature piece regarding a conference I attended this month will be releasing in the coming month or so. I'm mostly a floater for the Center, and help where I am needed.
Outside of projects for my photography courses, I have handled event photography for a hooding ceremony as well as a crisis simulation.

Simply put, I am an artist and always have been, I just have been really lucky to be able to put it to use in social justice and human rights work as well events on campus. I have always been vocal about my beliefs and will continue to be. I want to make a lasting impact with my work.