DAVIS, Calif. — Building a brand. It's a topic that has been hotly discussed by athletes around the world, helping shape how people perceive them and convincing future employers that they are a good fit for their organization.
UC Davis' cutting-edge Aggie EVO system is, by design, is exactly that. Whether it is professional sports or professional accounting, the program is all about empowering the student-athlete to be able to tell their story, develop a passion, and gain an inside track on successfully launching into a career after graduation.
Senior
Ally Reyes (
LinkedIn profile here), a two-time Big West Conference All-Academic Team selection who spent four years as a member of the Aggies' indoor volleyball team, and was a part of the inaugural beach volleyball team in 2019, is just one of the many student-athletes who have learned to build their brand that way, and now has her sights set on designing ways to help companies do the same.
The design major from Shadow Hills, Calif., a community nestled against the foothills just north of Los Angeles, has always been the creative type. It wasn't until her junior year that she found her calling.
"I was really lucky to have a professor that brought in real clients that were creating a few product lines," Reyes said. "We got to interview them and learned what the brand was about, what inspired each line, and what they envisioned for the brand. We spent the rest of the quarter creating logos, packaging, advertisements, and other collateral for the products. At the end we pitched our branding presentation to the clients and received real feedback.
"I loved the entire process that went into the class. I realized I loved working with people and making their visions come to life with my design work. A good logo, fun packaging, or creative advertising has the power to draw people in and make a product or service trustworthy. I love having the power to help create that appeal for a client."
Her experiences, however, haven't been limited to the classroom. The senior has been asked to freelance on a few projects for on-campus groups and friends who have embarked on their own endeavors.
"I have learned and continue to learn a lot from these experiences," Reyes said. "I've learned the importance of doing your research. Finding out what the brand is all about is hugely important, when creating a logo especially, because you want the logo to tie back to the brand or experience you're getting.
"I've also learned to give clients a lot of different options and stay in constant communication with them. I've been able to expand my design knowledge when working on a lot of these diverse projects. Looking back at some of my earlier work, I can see how much my design skills have grown."
With classes conducted remotely for the spring quarter, the extra time allowed Reyes to not only focus on completing her degree, but enhance her professional portfolio.
"Right before the cancellation of spring quarter, I got involved in a nationwide experiential design competition with two of my friends that I did the study abroad program with this past summer," Reyes said. "Being stuck in the house all day gave me time to really put my full efforts into that competition and create a top-notch project and amazing portfolio piece."
With final exams coming to a close, Reyes took some time out of her busy schedule to talk about her time as an Aggie and how Aggie EVO has helped her prepare for her future outside of her athletic career.
• How did your experience as a student-athlete prepare you for the workplace? (e.g. teamwork, time management, work ethic)
"There are so many valuable skills I have learned while being a student-athlete that are directly transferable to the workplace. I know how to work well under pressure and in fast-paced environments. I can manage my time extremely well in order to meet deadlines. I am prepared to work effectively in a team environment and know how to work towards a common goal while navigating any barriers that are encountered along the way. One of the most valuable skills I have taken away is a strong work ethic and my drive to succeed and improve every day."
• How did the Aggie EVO student-athlete outcomes program prepare you for your next job?
"The Aggie EVO program has made me more aware and prepared for my career and future after college and how to navigate the job field. It is so easy for college athletes to get caught up in the here and now and not give nearly as much thought as they should to what is coming after their athletic careers are over. I'm lucky to have had an athletics department who strive to ensure its athletes have a smooth and successful transition into the next chapter of their lives.
"I was able to use countless resources through the EVO program, but the most impactful resource for me during my time here was the EVO program coordinator, Mike Lorenzen. He always made himself available and took great interest in all of the student-athletes, including myself. Being able to meet personally with Mike and talk one-on-one about my future was extremely helpful in finding direction. He taught me the importance of networking as well as effective network practices. He provided a lot of insight and ideas in navigating a career path for myself when I was unsure. He was also very influential with connecting me to an internship within the athletics department where I was able to gain valuable experience."
• What is the first question you would ask of someone who has the job/career you seek?
"My first question I would ask someone who has the career I seek is what are some projects you worked on or internships you had that set you apart in your field and how did you come across those opportunities? I would love to hear about the steps someone with my desired career took to reach where they are today and use that information to try to find similar opportunities myself."
• What are your short-term and long-term career plans?
"My short-term career plan is to join a company I am passionate about as a brand designer. I would love to be working on projects where I can establish a cohesive brand identity through the development of assets like logos, advertising, packaging, interactions, interiors and more. But with the uncertainty of the future, economy, and job market with COVID-19, at the very least, I hope to be able to do freelance work by connecting with people or small businesses looking to brand or rebrand their companies to further build my design skills and continue to build my portfolio.
"My long-term career plans are to be working for a big design firm that does branding for multiple companies. That would be my ideal situation because my work would be constantly changing. I'm someone who likes to work on different projects all the time because it allows me to exercise my creativity and design skills in many different ways. I've always had a lot of interest in the beauty, fashion, and food industries and would love to work for companies within that spectrum. I would also love to eventually run a company or design firm of my own someday!"
• If you've had an internship(s) before, how did that experience(s) help you shape your short-/long-term professional aspirations?
"I did a graphic design internship with UC Davis Athletics for two quarters my junior year. I was able to use my design skills to promote interest in games and events for various teams. My main task, however, was to develop a brand-new social media campaign for the beach volleyball team during their inaugural season. This experience helped me grow in my graphic design skills and study graphic trends in promotional material in the world of athletics.
"I also was able to gain some experience doing various freelance design work creating logos for clients on a few different occasions. This experience helped me realize that I loved the process of expressing a company brand through a logo and that I wanted to pursue a career in branding."
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