Growing up in Ontario, Alyssa had never been to Vancouver, but she saw a picture of the UBC campus and was immediately drawn. Enticed by the ski hills and prospect of the Winter Olympics, Alyssa packed her bags and headed across the country. She found that UBC Kinesiology was truly the perfect fit for her. The faculty quickly became her small family within a broad community. She became involved in many facets of the school; some of her most defining moments came from involvement in Kin Games, UBC REC, Kin Frosh and Orientation, and Go Global exchange. These experiences presented unique challenges that forced her to adapt, engage in shared dynamic learning opportunities and fostered her desire for continuous growth. Alyssa learned the value of being comfortable being uncomfortable, which has been a major asset in her career today.
Alyssa graduated in 2013, unsure of her long term career aspirations. She had developed a keen interest in anatomy, physiology and injury prevention, but was unsure how she could piece that together to fit her passions without getting stuck in a monotonous construct. After two years of working a job she did not enjoy, while taking courses and volunteering, Alyssa decided to take a one year, advanced certificate in Athletic Therapy at Mount Royal University to see if this would be a viable career. She had many doubts throughout the course of the program, but upon graduation sought out some opportunities for more hands-on learning, which sparked a passion for the profession.
Alyssa currently works as an Athletic Therapist at Bishops University in Quebec. She is always excited to go to work; every day presents new challenges, fresh opportunities, and she is kept on her toes. As a certified Athletic Therapist, Alyssa provides preventative prophylactic care and emergency response in the field setting and injury assessment and rehabilitation in the clinic setting. She loves working at an academic institution, being able to collaborate with an integrated health team that focuses on holistic health, working as a sports scientist on research projects, and mentoring and supervising students doing athletic therapy placements. For Alyssa, athletic therapy is a rewarding and impactful field of work. She enjoys helping athletes that have gone through any form of injury, get back to competing at elite levels, doing what they love. Her advice for current students is to take advantage of the vast opportunities presented to you; seek out new experiences, learn from your mistakes, ask questions and enjoy the process!
