Creating positive user experiences in retailing and beyond
Student Profile: Alyssa Johansen
When Alyssa Johansen opened Instagram two years ago, she had no idea that one photo would set her on a path that changed everything, including her major.
Now, a senior at the University of Arizona, Alyssa sat down with me to share her experience as a Retailing and Consumer Science major in CALES (College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences).
The pink stole that changed her life
Originally from Phoenix, Alyssa had planned to attend Penn State. But when closures due to the Covid-19 outbreak changed her plans, she adapted and began her Wildcat journey.
As an incoming first-year student, Alyssa started with a major far removed from the retail industry. "I switched majors four times," she admitted, with a laugh.
First, Alyssa declared a major in applied humanities with an emphasis in spatial organization and design thinking. Then, city planning piqued her interest, so she switched to urban and regional development. She changed to biochemistry – now her minor – because she wanted to work with cosmetics, developing better makeup and hair products.
Even as she tried out different programs, she recognized a theme in her interests: “I’ve always liked to create experiences for people, whether that’s walking in a store or going on a website. I’m a positive person and like making people around me happy. I try to add beauty to everything I do, seeing things in a better light.”
Her path to the Retailing and Consumer Science program involved a graduation picture shared on social media.
“Some seniors in my sorority were graduating. I was scrolling through Instagram and someone had a pink stole on…and I was just curious.”
That pink stole, representing Retailing and Consumer Science, sparked her interest. After diving into the program's coursework and discovering the blend of analytics, marketing and user experience, Alyssa finally found the degree that most aligns with the kind of job she wants.
A passion for positive user experience
Working at the Terry J. Lundgren Center
Over the past four years, Alyssa has shown her commitment to creating positive experiences through her campus roles. As a student assistant at the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing, she manages social media, organizes events and connects students with industry professionals.
Alyssa also served as the Director of Fraternity Heritage for her sorority, Pi Beta Phi. From organizing the Founders Day ceremony to leading Initiation, Alyssa blended her organizational talents with her mission to create memorable moments.
On the executive board for the U of A chapter of the National Retail Federation Student Association, she helped plan trips, manage events and build connections for her peers. Last year, she joined a trip to New York City, meeting industry leaders and exploring career paths. “People think of retail as store operations or merchandising, but it’s so much more than that. You can go into brand management, client experience or even visual merchandising.”
These experiences prepared her to land two competitive summer internships. As a product management intern at Zelle, Alyssa focused on improving teen and parental engagement with the Zelle platform. Additionally, she worked for the Center for Executive Medicine, helping them launch a concierge telehealth program on the U of A campus. In both programs, she used her passion for positive user experience to improve her workplace.
Driven to excel
Presenting at Zelle
Though Alyssa switched majors a few times, her mom helped her plan a class schedule that would allow her to graduate on time – taking courses over every break to stay on track.
She described herself as goal oriented. “I love getting medals,” Alyssa said. “I always like to be growing. I want to be learning; I never want to feel stuck or plateauing.” Whether it’s maintaining a 4.0 GPA or training for a half marathon later this year, this perspective has driven her to excel.
As for awards, her high school grades earned her the Wildcat Distinction Scholarship (four years of paid tuition). Alyssa has also earned Dean’s List all four years at the U of A.
Advice for students
Alyssa in NYC with NRFSA
Alyssa’s advice for other students was simple: "Be open," she said. “You could see a unique-looking stole on Instagram and switch your major. Or you could realize you’re not passionate about your career trajectory, which could inspire you to change your path.”
Alyssa discovered the benefit of openness when she studied in Spain for six weeks, taking two classes through UA Barcelona, one of which focused on wine and food marketing.
She also encouraged students to take on leadership roles. "It’s a great way to grow. When you’re responsible for planning an event or managing a project, you learn skills that will stick with you for life."
For Alyssa, the most challenging part of college has been trying to maintain depth while being involved in so many organizations and programs. She can look back, however, and say that the time she invested in relationships gave purpose to her activities.
The future: user experience and beyond
As Alyssa looks ahead, her focus is clear: she wants to go into user experience, client experience, or even product marketing management or brand management – any field focused on the client interactions. And with minors in Spanish and biochemistry, Alyssa brings a multidisciplinary approach to her ambitions. She will graduate in May 2025, wearing a pink stole as she crosses the stage, ready to create positive experiences for all those around her.