Melissa A. Bontempo-Wiseman
Media Manager for the Department of Dance
The department mourns the loss of Melissa Bontempo, who passed away in Columbus on Thursday, March 6, 2014. She was 35 years old at the time of her death.
Melissa joined the department in 2007 and rose to the position of program coordinator in 2010. She was dedicated to the department’s overall branding and image as well as managing the ever-expanding inventory of media and technology. Equally adept at equipment management, flyer design and social media messaging, Melissa became an extremely valuable colleague coordinating with faculty, students and fellow staff on many initiatives and needs. Though she handled her workload in her characteristically quiet and focused way, Melissa’s substantial organizational abilities were as strong as her remarkable creative abilities.
Among her many accomplishments were the creation of templates for clearly branded publicity, establishment of an online space scheduling process for rehearsals, the development of a weekly blog, online RSVP systems for special events, online hosting of a job board, upgrades and design of our website, publicity and promotion for department events, troubleshooting management of documentation and archiving, and creating guidelines and systems for equipment management.
Melissa was a 1996 graduate of Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, where she designed the school flag, ran track and cross country, and played volleyball. She received her BFA in graphic design from Ohio University and her MA in art education in 2006 from The Ohio State University. She met Jeff Wiseman while working in the computer lab at Columbus State Community College, and they married on August 29, 2009, honeymooning at Mt. Rainier in Washington, her favorite place.
Melissa enjoyed living in the city and took advantage of urban exploration, hiking and biking, and volunteering at the Clintonville Food Bank. She was kind and generous and would help anyone in need, enjoyed reading and loved her cats. She played trumpet in the brass band called Brazin Brass. She was a maintainer of the Columbus Live Journal and had her thesis “Online Museum Communities, Challenges and Possibilities” published.
Bless you, Melissa
