Graphic design major Alyssa Armstrong has spent the last four years designing a unique Whittier College experience for herself.
During her four years at Whittier, Armstrong worked for multiple offices on campus honing her artistic skills. Yet, it was as director of WCtheRock, Student Life’s student-focused social media channels, where Armstrong’s talents and natural leadership style proved to have the biggest impact. Working with a team of peers, she worked persistently to expand WCtheRock’s audience and overall reach.
Her work with WCtheRock also led to an internship with the Dean of Students office, which allowed Armstrong to create meaningful connections with VP and Dean of Students Deanna Merino Contino and special projects coordinator Frances Romo, among other Student Life staff.
Armstrong was among the first wave of Whittier College students to major in graphic design—a relatively new major on campus—and benefitted from the engaging classes.
“My favorite class was Graphic Design 1, it was the class I learned my heart belonged to graphic design,” said Armstrong, who also had the opportunity to take traditional art classes with the department. “The best thing about the graphic design major is seeing how much my peers and I have grown and become such a tight-knit family.”
Like many of her peers, Armstrong did not let the pandemic deter her from gaining valuable professional development experience. She completed a remote internship with A Place Called Home, a community-based organization that provides arts, education, and wellness programs for young people in South Central Los Angeles.
Working under the associate director, Armstrong created graphics, illustrations, and other branding assets for the organization, including an illustrative poster for the organization’s annual Comic Arts and Literacy Expo.
In addition to an internship opportunity, the pandemic offered various types of lessons for Armstrong, “I learned about my self-worth and how to remain calm when things get hectic.”
After graduation, Armstrong will be applying to graphic design jobs in Los Angeles while doing freelance work. Her ultimate goal is to establish her own design firm. She also hopes to pay forward all the support she has received.
“[I want to] provide internships to design students who are in the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community, who are most deserving in the industry,” added Armstrong.
