Melanie Lofton is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 television reporter and news anchor

News presenter

A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...

. She has worked for WHSV-TV

WHSV-TV

WHSV-TV, channel 3 , is an ABC affiliate television station for the Harrisonburg, Virginia, market. WHSV News 3, as it is known on-air, is owned by Gray Television and has its transmitter located west of the town of Stanley on Massanutten Mountain...

 in Harrisonburg, Virginia

Harrisonburg, Virginia

Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...

 since July 2006. Shortly after being hired as the station's Weekend anchor, she was promoted to produce and co-anchor WHSV news at five.

Lofton began her career as a reporter for WOAY-TV

WOAY-TV

WOAY-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southern West Virginia and Southwestern Virginia locally-owned by the Thomas Broadcasting Company. Licensed to Oak Hill, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter at its studios on Legends Highway/WV...

 in Oak Hill, West Virginia

Oak Hill, West Virginia

Oak Hill is a city in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States and is the primary city within the Oak Hill, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area. The micropolitan area is also included in the Beckley-Oak Hill, WV Combined Statistical Area. The population was 7,589 at the 2000 census...

. She also worked as news director and reporter and anchor for WDNN Television, a small independent station

Independent station

An independent station is in the category of television terminology used to describe a television station broadcasting in the United States or Canada that is not affiliated with any television network....

 in Dalton, Georgia

Dalton, Georgia

Dalton is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States. It is the county seat of Whitfield County and the principal city of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of both Murray and Whitfield counties. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,128...

.

Before her professional career began, Lofton won the award for Best Hard News Reporting her senior year at West Virginia University

West Virginia University

West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...

 for their broadcast program. She was named a Young American Broadcaster by the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts and featured on a Radio America program. She was chosen among several rising journalists in 2002 by the American Jewish Committee

American Jewish Committee

The American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...

 to participate in Project Interchange

Project interchange

Founded in 1982, Project Interchange, an institute of the American Jewish Committee, provides current and emerging United States and international leaders with an enhanced understanding of, and perspective on, Israel and the pursuit of Middle East peace through introductory educational seminars in...

, an expenses-paid trip to Israel to learn firsthand about the ongoing conflict. She also interned at WBFF/WNUV in Baltimore, Maryland.

Lofton is an active participant in the community volunteering as a "big" with Big Brothers, Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501 non-profit organization whose mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that try to have a measurable impact on youth....

 Of Rockingham County

Rockingham County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...

. Lofton also helps local charities like the March Of Dimes

March of Dimes

The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...

 and Alzheimer's Association.

She earned her B.S. degree in Journalism

Journalism

Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...

 from West Virginia University in 2003. She also attended Long Beach City College

Long Beach City College

Long Beach City College, established in 1927, is a community college located in Long Beach, California. It is divided into two campuses. The Liberal Arts Campus, known as LAC, is located in the residential community of the Lakewood Village section of Long Beach, on Carson Street west of Clark Avenue...

for one year.