Student spotlight – Alyssa Williams

March 10, 2020

University of Montevallo junior Alyssa Williams’ double major of history and communication studies is helping her to put a new perspective on historical events.  

“I think it’s a really cool interplay, because history and communication really go together,” Williams said. “Communication helps you to understand why things happened the way they did throughout history.” 

Williams, a member of the UM women’s basketball team, is planning to use her undergraduate education at Montevallo as a springboard to earn a master’s degree and doctorate in theology. Her ultimate goal is to use her broad array of educational experiences to analyze how historical events and religion have been communicated throughout the years.  

“I love history. I love how things happen at the same point throughout time. Something could have happened on our side of the world while something completely different was happening on the other side of the world at the same time,” she said. “Communication is what I like the most about history, because it shows how people interact. It’s interesting to see how cultures developed and how we got to where we are today.” 

During her time at Montevallo, Williams has been heavily involved in many facets of campus life. In addition to women’s basketball, she is the co-director of Catholic Campus Ministry, president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is involved with the National Society of Leadership and Success and Falcon Scholars in Action.  

Today, Williams still loves the University as much as she did the first time she visited campus.  

“When I came for a visit, I was amazed at how beautiful the campus was,” she said. “Everything about Montevallo drew me to it. The people, the great academics, everything about it made it feel like it was the right place for me to be.”