Alyssa McDonald is a Greenhouse Studios SFA Graduate Research Assistant.
My Name is Alyssa McDonald and I am a first-year graduate Student at the University of Connecticut. I am pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Digital Media and Design. Before attending UConn, I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and worked in the fine art photography industry for four years.
Although photography is my passion, I am pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Digital Media and Design to become a more diverse storyteller and more importantly, to learn how design can help people. My current interests revolve around UX/UI design and Web Design. After taking a continuing education class in UX design, I felt like had found a career path where my full potential could be realized; a career where I could utilize all of my skillsets and through human centered design process, help people. During my time at UConn, I will be researching gender inequality in the healthcare industry and my thesis will revolve around women’s health.
I am also a new member of Greenhouse Studios. I will be working as a Graduate Assistant with the Mills team, a cohort that will be exploring the rich history of the Cheney Brothers Mill in Manchester, Connecticut. Currently, I am diving into digital archives to prepare for the Mills project, which will hopefully be starting soon! With Greenhouse Studios, I hope to be able to contribute my artistic sensibilities and re-visit my love for art history and museums. I also hope to build upon my background of exhibition design and curation. I’m excited to be immersed in an environment with so many different minds.
In my spare time I enjoy cooking, baking and spending time with my dog, Sydney.