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He was living in Indianapolis, serving as a vice president of JPMorgan Chase and Company. The job as a fiduciary attorney was stressful at times, but generally the 1977 Wabash graduate was happy and healthy.
In January 2015, Melchiorre suffered a stroke that paralyzed the left side of his body.
“It was about as severe of a stroke one could have and not die,” he said.
Melchiorre spent a month in the hospital and was unable to work for more than a year. While in the hospital, he was visited by and received encouragement from numerous members of the Wabash community.
In the months following the stroke, Melchiorre said he had a long time to reflect on his life, and in doing so, rediscovered and reconnected with his faith. His relationship with God, he said, kept him strong and determined to push forward.
“It occurred to me that I had been spared death for a reason,” he said. “It gave me a second chance, to do something meaningful.”
Melchiorre decided to do something that celebrated and honored the two institutions that have been most formative in his life: Wabash College and the Catholic Church.
As part of the Giant Steps Campaign, he established the Victor A. Melchiorre ’77 Scholarship Fund, designed to support students enrolling at Wabash from Catholic secondary schools. Additionally, Vic has named Wabash as a beneficiary of his trust as well as a charitable trust which currently benefits his parents as the income beneficiaries.
“I hope to support young men who might need the extra financial assistance come to Wabash and benefit from the same kind of experiences I did as a student,” Melchiorre said.
While at Wabash, Melchiorre was an English major and a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He participated in theatre productions and was active in Student Senate.
Growing up in Mishawaka, Melchiorre remembers spending time in his father’s law practice, Melchiorre & Melchiorre. He knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps as a lawyer, but was determined to blaze his own trail.
“I attended Honor Scholarship Weekend, and that sealed the deal,” Melchiorre recalled. “I fell in love with Wabash. Everything was accessible — the size of campus, the ability to connect with professors, joining a fraternity. I felt welcomed.”
Wabash not only gave him the education to lead a successful life after graduation, but it also instilled in him the fortitude to handle life’s challenges.
“I can’t imagine a better preparation,” Melchiorre said. “It was all about reading and interpretation. Being able to express yourself, that’s what law is all about.
“Wabash wasn’t easy, especially when I had to figure out how to integrate my studies with the demands of the fraternity and my other extracurriculars.” Melchiorre continued. “But that’s life. You have to be able to think critically and responsibly manage multiple things at once if you want to be successful.”
Melchiorre also remains very active in his community, attends mass every day, and serves as a member of the Knights of Columbus.
“After my stroke, I joined the Knights of Columbus, which is the world’s largest Catholic fraternal organization,” Melchiorre said with pride. “Last year, I was named the grand knight for our parish council.”
Since graduating nearly 48 years ago, Melchiorre remains closely connected to Wabash. He makes frequent visits to campus to attend events, cheer on the Little Giants football team, and reminisce with his fraternity brothers.
He encourages others to also pay it forward and give back to the institutions that matter most to them.
“We wouldn’t be where we are if not for the education we received,” he said. “Wabash gave us a foundation for life.”
