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Alyssa Chambers �鶹��ý�20 is a pioneer of launching new ventures, both at Pace and beyond. She�鶹��ý�s a lifestyle beauty blogger with a YouTube account, the founder and president of the Pleasantville Campus choir Abyss of Sound, and a go-getter with plenty of internships under her belt. That�鶹��ý�s what initially drew her to Pace. �鶹��ý�It�鶹��ý�s one thing to learn from a textbook, and it�鶹��ý�s another thing when a student [can] apply what they learned in real-life situations,�鶹��ý� she said.

Initially, she wanted to pursue a degree in industrial organizational psychology. It was after receiving advice from a family friend in business that Chambers decided to turn her attention to human resources as a major. �鶹��ý�I decided to minor in law after I took my first business law class and fell in love with the content,�鶹��ý� she explained. �鶹��ý�It [has] enhanced my ability to synthesize information and develop an argument from the facts presented in [any] given information. I can use the techniques I learned from law to help me use my best judgment in HR.�鶹��ý�

But Chambers isn�鶹��ý�t all business. She�鶹��ý�s been singing since she was just four years old! As the youngest member of her church choir back home, she�鶹��ý�d always had a powerful voice, but lacked the confidence to fully express it. That is, until middle school. �鶹��ý�That�鶹��ý�s when I really had the opportunity to develop my singing voice. I did every musical throughout high school, and always had a singing role.�鶹��ý� She even got the chance to audition for X-Factor, a popular talent reality show. �鶹��ý�It was a definitely an experience that motivated me to keep developing my voice,�鶹��ý� she told us.

Ready to continue her passion for music, Chambers was surprised to discover there wasn�鶹��ý�t a choir on the Pleasantville Campus when she started her first year. �鶹��ý�I took it upon myself to take a chance and start my own choir. I was alone at first, then found two other lovely students, Adonis Milano and Akhila Ramesh, who were just as passionate as me about starting a choir.�鶹��ý� They all went to SDCA together, and the rest is history.

It�鶹��ý�s a big job to lead an entire choir, but Chambers is passionate about encouraging her fellow students to believe in their abilities and develop their voices. �鶹��ý�I try to inspire people who say they can�鶹��ý�t sing [by] showing them that practice and technique can help train a person to develop a singing voice.�鶹��ý� That dedication paid off in a big way�鶹��ý�when they performed at the Black Excellence Dinner, an event hosted by the Black Student Union. �鶹��ý�Everyone was dressed so nicely, [and] the level of confidence our members developed in their voices showed that night. I was deeply touched.�鶹��ý�

Chambers has also interned across a diverse set of disciplines; from social media at AHRC to business development at Criterion Management to human resources at ASCEND Learning Network. �鶹��ý�I got to assist in a training session with the COO of ASCEND,�鶹��ý� she told us, noting a memorable moment on the job. �鶹��ý�The topic was on how to be a one-minute manager by effectively giving feedback. This session taught me how to approach individuals with feedback in the most welcoming way�鶹��ý�whether good or bad.�鶹��ý�

She certainly took those valuable lessons to heart through her work as the founder of a lifestyle beauty brand. Known as ANOVA (short for A Natural Oblique Vivacious Ambiance), Chambers not only , but also a , too. �鶹��ý�My work was inspired by insecurities I struggled with in the past,�鶹��ý� she explained. �鶹��ý�Prior to college, I cared a lot about what people thought about me. It took a lot of growing for me to understand that another person�鶹��ý�s perception of me is not a reflection of who I am.�鶹��ý� Wonderful words to live by.