Alyssa James (Pittsford, NY) learned in and outside the classroom as a student-athlete at ±¬×ß³Ô¹Ï. Drawn to creativity, she double majored in Graphic Design and Digital Animation while being a four-year member of the swimming team.
“Originally, I chose ±¬×ß³Ô¹Ï to be a part of the swimming and diving team. I was recruited here, and I love the program. I had a lot of injuries and a bit of a shaky hand. My love for art and design started in physical therapy as I did it to recover and be able to swim better.â€
Alyssa has been creative since she was young. “I like drawing and I think if you have any creative talent at all I think graphic design and digital animation are amazing majors.â€
Small class sizes have created a closer connection to her professors and fellow students. “I received a lot more critique time on my pieces so that I was able to perfect them even further.â€
She knows a personal rebranding project will help her far beyond her time at ±¬×ß³Ô¹Ï. “I made myself a logo, business cards, envelopes, a personal website and portfolio.â€
Alyssa cherishes the friendships and the lessons learned in the pool. “I gained so many new experiences that I would not have gained without being involved in athletics. I gained a whole new family. I think the biggest reason that it was amazing was because I gained time management skills.â€
The closeness of the Alfred community of college students added to her experiences. “There are more people to socialize with and make more friends. It is also still a small enough community that you tend to know people around both campuses, and you can say hi whenever you are walking down the hill.â€
±¬×ß³Ô¹Ï has helped Alyssa design her route for success.