Hello, I'm Alyssa! I'm a second year in theatre at the School of Communications and in Manufacturing and Design Engineering (MADE) in McCormick School of Engineering. Outside of class, I've worked a lot in both student theatre and school theatre (the Wirtz Center) in a variety of roles. I'm also involved in my residential college (dormitory), and I help plan events for my dorm such as cookouts, faculty lectures, etc. I also have experience with getting student jobs on campus. Aside from that, I go into Chicago every weekend, so I can speak about the surrounding areas.

Hometown

Los Altos, California

Major(s)

Theatre, Applied Mathematics

Clubs, organizations & involvement

Theatre (in both school and student theatre) - Stage Manager (PSM and ASM), Costume Designer, Technical Director, Costume Shop Volunteer, & PSV Attendant (Student Venues Attendant, Paid Job from the Student Center) Residential Colleges (Dorms) - First Year Leadership, Academic Chair (Connecting Faculty and Students) Goodman Theatre Student Ambassador (2 years now) Film - Grip, Shadowing First AD Direct Reading Program (Math) - Afterschool math program where you work with a grad student through a piece of math text MuddBites Contractor (Paid Job from a student company at the Garage, the business incubator at Northwestern)

Describe your college experience

It was a change to come from California to the Mid-West, but I've had experience from living in a boarding high school. Moving in and out was really smooth for the first year, and I've had a lot of help making friends through dorm activities, extracurriculars, and classes.

Tip for future students

Take time to explore a lot of new things! A lot of professors are actually really approachable; I've walked into several offices of professors (not in my major) just out of vague interest, and they'll take time to talk with you.

Favorite class

I've really enjoyed my stage management work in winter '26 with the school. I was an assistant stage manager for one of the winter shows, and while I went to rehearsals after school, the program also provided three different classes to support stage managers in their productions during the quarter. Thus, I had a class to learn about the general theatre tech experience, a class on stage management, and a third class which was a check in specifically for my production. It was a really immersive experience, and I felt like I was able to learn multiple angles to approach my work and apply it each day during rehearsals.

Career goals

I want to explore engineering more in relation to theatre, but it's still very vague for now.

Ideal way to spend a free night

Let me set the scene: Friday night, 5 pm, Davis Station. My friends and I scan through the CTA gates and board the Purple Express down to the loop. First stop is the Nando's next to the Nutella Cafe. Second stop is the Riverwalk or the Magnificent Mile. Third stop is a theatre of choice--the Goodman, Steppenwolf, storefront theatre, show incubator, etc--for a show that embodies all of Chicago's best theatre scene. We share an evening with the actors, but at the end? We're back at the dorm, sharing late-night burgers and later-night conversations around the couch.

High school or secondary school

Stevenson School, Pebble Beach, CA

Favorite spot on campus

I love the Makers' Space at the Ford Design Building. Not many people know it, but they have a full sewing corner with dress forms and machines on the second floor next to a view of Shakespeare Garden. Aside from that, they also rent out really nice sewing machines to students for free. I think it ties with my love of the Costume Shop for the same reason; if you've never spent an afternoon at the large tables in the shop, surrounded by the smell of steamed muslin and warm sunlight, sewing or doing your homework or petting the shop dog, you're missing out.