Robert A. Melton

I grew up outside of Detroit in Sterling Heights, Michigan. My family and I spent a lot of time in the outdoors – mostly fishing and bird watching. We also enjoyed rooting for Detroit’s many fine sports times – the Pistons and Red Wings were both great growing up. The Lions, well, they’ve come to perform as expected but we had fun cheering on Barry Sanders. In the evenings, my brother and I played a lot of basketball and roller hockey.

In high school, I was on the speech and debate team. We traveled within Michigan to compete at tournaments on weekends. My partner and I successfully restarted the debate team and it went on to see quite a few debaters achieve success at the program.

I went to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY for college. My family had a collection of national geographic magazines from the 60s and 70s which I poured over repeatedly after school (in the days before the internet). For some reason, the Cornell Lab of Orinthology stuck in my mind and when it came time to visit schools, Cornell was the only one that I wanted to see. I was accepted Early Decision.

I traveled the country on Cornell’s debate team competing initially at CEDA events and later the NDT ones as well. We drove across country twice and had a lot of fun. I was named an Academic All American by the Cross Examination Debate Association. My partner and I also received a bid to the National Debate Tournament my junior year.

I returned to Michigan for law school. I applied to several of the best schools in the country, including Cornell. Three more years in Ithaca would have been amazing, but I needed a college football team to cheer for to complete my life. Go Blue! They gave me in-state tuition because I had been absent from the state for less than three years while engaged in activities that could be considered professional development.

I’m currently located in Center City, Philadelphia. I convinced my family to move here several years ago. The weather is nicer than Detroit and we’re a short drive away from New York City and Washington, D.C. With great restaurants, a walkable downtown area and my family, it’s now home.

My brother is also a lawyer here in Philadelphia.