ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ALYSSA BLANCO REFLECTS ON HOW DAMIETTA SHAPED HER LEADERSHIP AND CAREER
Alyssa Blanco '24 graduated from Siena College with a degree in Social Work and now works as a Psychotherapist at Legacy Behavioral Health. Looking back on her time at Siena, Alyssa credits Damietta with helping her develop the dialogue and leadership skills that continue to shape her professional work today.
Building Leadership Through Dialogue
Alyssa joined Damietta during her freshman year and quickly discovered the power of meaningful conversation. Through workshops, campus events, and partnerships with student organizations, she gained valuable experience facilitating trainings, leading dialogues, and collaborating with diverse groups across campus.
"Damietta truly provided me with dialogue skills that I still use today," Alyssa said. "It showed me the importance of using my voice to create spaces where others feel heard, respected, and empowered."
These experiences helped Alyssa grow into leadership roles while strengthening her ability to foster inclusive conversations and build connections among students from different backgrounds.
Helping Create Café Damietta
During her senior year, Alyssa and her fellow Peer Advocates helped develop the idea for Café Damietta, creating a welcoming space where students could engage in meaningful conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, culture, and current global issues.
In its early stages, Café Damietta primarily brought together students from affinity organizations who already had experience participating in open dialogue. As the program expanded to include the broader campus community, the focus evolved.
"We learned the importance of active listening, asking thoughtful open-ended questions, and creating an environment where participants felt respected and comfortable sharing their experiences," Alyssa said. "We emphasized balancing different viewpoints, encouraging respectful discussion, and guiding conversations without imposing our own opinions."
These skills continue to influence the way Alyssa approaches conversations in both her personal and professional life.
Learning Beyond Damietta
While Damietta played a central role in developing her dialogue skills, Alyssa also credits her coursework for deepening her understanding of difficult conversations. One class, in particular, had a lasting impact.
"The most influential class in developing my dialogue skills was Race and Identities, taught by Dr. Christa Grant," she said. "The course created a space where having difficult conversations was normalized and encouraged."
The class challenged Alyssa to reflect on her own lived experiences while actively listening to and learning from her classmates. Through these discussions, she gained a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives and built greater confidence in engaging in conversations about identity, equity, and social justice.
Today, as a psychotherapist, Alyssa continues to draw on the dialogue, listening, and facilitation skills she first developed through Damietta. Her Siena experience laid the foundation for a career centered on empathy, understanding, and creating spaces where every voice can be heard.