The MacCast Unconventional — Alyssa Lai

For this alum, following her North Star led to deeply meaningful success

Alyssa Lai (’12) shares her story on season two’s final episode of the Unconventional Podcast.

When Alyssa started at McMaster as an international student, she didn’t have a big plan for her future. All she was clear on was the desire to find a profession that would allow her to combine her skills with a passion to do something that would help make the world a better place. She was also willing to follow her inner North Star for guidance as she navigated a new country, a new culture, and a new school.

“One of the ways I got involved was through volunteering,” she says. “It was such a brand-new concept to me — to be of service to someone and giving up your time to someone for things that you may not know a lot about.”

She says her program and the courses she took helped to provide a rich and wholistic experience at school that led to a solid foundation. That confidence and success helped her step forward into the unknown professional world and grow a career that is both fulfilling and rewarding, even if at times a little bit unconventional.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/73VabTVvDjpCrOnsRs9IJ6?si=7332ee28e4744c0d

McMaster has more than 210,000 alumni living in 140 countries around the world, and they are some of the most amazing people you would ever want to meet. The Unconventional podcast will introduce some of our alumni who are working — in the arts, as cutting-edge entrepreneurs, leading the way in health, education, technology and more — to make our world a brighter place in their own unique way. Download the latest episode, or catch up if you’ve missed one, on Apple, Spotify, or Soundcloud.