Alyssa James (Pittsford, NY) learned in and outside the classroom as a student-athlete at Alfred State. Drawn to creativity, she double majored in Graphic Design and Digital Animation while being a four-year member of the swimming team.
Alyssa's Pioneer PROfile video
“Originally, I chose Alfred State 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.”
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.”
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.”
She knows a personal rebranding project will help her far beyond her time at Alfred State. “I made myself a logo, business cards, envelopes, a personal website and portfolio.”
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.”
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.”
Alfred State has helped Alyssa design her route for success.