Game Changer Catchup: Alyssa Rice
Hometown: Reynoldsburg, OH
University: University of Kentucky
Term: 2018 Game Changing Retreat Cohort
Current Position: Compliance coordinator, Ohio University Athletics
Alyssa Rice joined the Winning Edge Leadership Academy family in May of 2018, when she was a part of the first Game Changing Retreat. Since then, she has begun her first year of graduate school at Ohio University where she is pursuing both an MBA and MSA degree. While completing both degrees, Alyssa is a Graduate Assistant for the Department of Diversity and Inclusion within the College of Business and is a Compliance Coordinator for the Ohio Athletic Department.
Originally from Reynodsburg, Ohio, Alyssa earned her Bachelor’s in Accounting with a minor in Communications and Psychology at the University of Kentucky where she was a member of the women’s basketball team.
Alyssa’s time with the Winning Edge had a positive impact on her as she joined the cohort right out of undergrad before beginning her post graduate studies. One of her favorite parts of the retreat was the friendships she made with fellow cohorts.
“Having a small group and being able to actually interact with the mentors on a daily basis was a great opportunity and something I really valued. We still keep in touch we still have a group chat to this day where we just check in on how everyone is doing.”
Aspiring a career in collegiate athletics working within basketball operations, the Winning Edge Retreat really impacted her for two major reasons: the network of individuals and their intentionality.
“I was impressed by how intentional the interactions were, it wasn’t just people speaking at you or like you felt like a small person in a big room with people,” she mentioned. “I was able to meet so many people from within the sports industry. The knowledge and vast amount of experience they have that they’re willing to share that with us was something you can't really get everywhere.”
Although she still has another year of school left, Alyssa is remaining diligent in her efforts to take the most from her Winning Edge experience for when she officially sets on her professional career.
“I’m still finding ways to continue to improve myself so when the time comes where I'll need a job when I'm ready. Part of that was learning to maintain those relationships I made during the retreat and keeping in touch with these people that were there to help us, so we've got to use our resources. That’s the main takeaway that I took away from the whole experience.”
Her message to Game Changers is to “come in with an open mind and willing to learn because you do get so much advice.” Oh and one more thing: “take notes because they're throwing out nuggets for you to take.”
Feature by Camille Buxeda
Camille is a recent graduate of NYU’s School of Professional Studies, where she earned her Masters in Sports Business. Currently, she is the women’s basketball associate social editor at SLAM Media Inc and firmly believes in supporting the WE Leadership Academy’s vision of empowering the next generation of sports leaders.
