Inked

Melissa Burgess, a senior music education major, is a typical music student, who likes singing, being in musicals and likes to watch movies, but she does not make it a habit to go to movies. Burgess also likes being involved in her music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota, the National Association for Music Education, the American Choral Director's Association and the Community Theater of Terre Haute. Burgess has a tattoo of a rose with a tribal message on her back. She has had it for almost five years. "I wanted a tattoo," she said. "There's no real specific reason for wanting it. I got it because I could." This tattoo is meaningful to her now because of her love for her fraternity SAI and because of the death of her grandmother who loved roses. Burgess keeps her tattoo private from her stepfather, but if anyone else wants to see it they can see it.