Alyssa Boisvert
Graduation year: 2020
High school: Lincoln-Way Central High School
Hometown: New Lenox, Ill.
Major: Psychology
Minors: Sociology, public health
Activities: Advertising Developers (ADs), Star Wars Club, Disney Club, Psi Chi honor society (psychology)
Post-grad plans: Take a gap year to find a job that will help pay for grad school in the future.
Why Augustana?
I chose Augustana because I loved the size and the feel of the campus, and after meeting with some of the professors, I knew that they would help develop my professional and academic skills.
Are you where you thought you'd be when you first came to campus?
More or less. I originally came to campus wanting to pursue counseling, but I found a love of research through my psychology major and my work with the ADs team.
Who helped you get to where you are now?
My family and friends, most importantly. My family (especially my parents) have always been so supportive of me, and I am so grateful for their love and guidance.
I've also been very fortunate to have great friends from high school who still keep in touch, and I am so grateful for meeting some amazing friends on campus who always made me laugh or smile.
But my work with Dr. Stough in her research lab and with Doug Tschopp in the EDGE Center really helped develop my skills as an academic, a leader and a professional. Thank you all for everything you have taught me and for your support.
Peak experience?
I had a lot of great experiences here. My peak experiences have come from the ADs competitions that I attended. The ADs team works really hard all year on our marketing campaign, and to spend a few days traveling with the team and seeing our hard work pay off in the end is such a great feeling. It was always so much fun traveling to South Bend and bonding with everybody.
What surprised you?
I think I surprised myself the most. I ended my time at Augustana as the president of two different clubs, a member of two honors societies, and I managed to be on the Dean's List the majority of my four years here. I learned that I have the capabilities to be a leader and to adapt to any environment in which I find myself.
How did you use your Augie Choice?
I went to Rome, Italy, with my roommate for my study abroad. That was definitely one of my peak experiences as well. We spent spring term taking a course on campus and then spent 12 days in Rome touring the sites with the group, and we had some free days to do whatever we wanted. Absolutely incredible experience.
What will you miss the most?
I'm definitely going to miss the people the most. Doug, Dr. Stough, all the professors in the psych department, my friends from ADs, my D&D group, and most of all my roommate. I was so lucky to have met my roommate freshman year, and we have been roommates for our entire time at Augie. She has become one of my closest friends, and I cannot imagine rooming with anybody else. Love you Lori <3
Advice for the Class of 2024?
Take the time to give yourself a break. Your mental health is so important, and it can be really easy to feel overwhelmed by it all, and that's okay. Allow yourself some time to slow down, take a breath, talk to someone and know that you're going to be okay. Take care of yourself; you'll be okay.
"I met Alyssa when she visited campus her senior year of high school, and it was immediately clear she wanted to be in the EDGE Center. Alyssa is the perfect example of the liberal arts allowing students to do things outside their major that lead to a greater understanding of the world. She was part of our Advertising Developers team that competes in the National Student Advertising Competition. This experience developed research and marketing skills that made Alyssa the second psychology major to lead the ADs group. Alyssa's well-rounded experience and dedicated work ethic will serve her well!"