“College is so much more than classes or finals,” GU Alumna Melissa (Presto) Larese ’06 shared, adding, “the more involved you are, the more you will love it. Those out-of-class experiences pair with classroom studies and prepare Gannon students for a successful life.”
Melissa is now an attorney with the Quinn Law Firm in Erie. Originally from Saxonburg, PA, she attended Gannon to major in legal studies and juvenile justice. Melissa’s first trip to Gannon was with a friend interested in attending and Melissa tagged along “just to get out of school.” To her surprise, she found a beautiful urban campus, small class sizes, the course of study she planned to pursue, and an enthusiasm for Gannon.
Following graduation Melissa attended law school at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. She eventually returned to Erie and is now an associate with the Quinn Law Firm, where she practices in the areas of estate planning, probate and guardianships. Melissa has enjoyed being mentored by Gannon alum Jim Toohey ’56, who is also an attorney with the Quinn Law Firm. She reports that his love for law and his love for Gannon have been inspirational.
Melissa’s husband Nicholas Larese ’07 is also a Gannon alumnus. Together they have a young son, Logan. They love spending time together as a family…doing whatever Logan wants to do that day!
(published December 2017)