Meet Allysa Hollander
HC: Why UT, why your major, and why Communication Council?
AH: I was actually a Government major when I entered UT! I went to a small high school and knew at the time that I was going to have automatic admission to a Texas public university. Austin just made the most sense for me at the time given the proximity to the State Capitol.
It turns out that the Government major really was not my cup of tea. However, I had taken an elective course in the Communication Studies department that I fell in love with. I was able to switch to Corporate Communication and have never regretted my choice of major. I love learning about why individuals and organizations communicate the way they do.
I joined Communication Council because I wanted to make the university smaller. I was new to my major and had no clue what I was doing aside from going to classes. Joining Communication Council has allowed me to not only become connected with the pulse of the college, but also introduced me to some incredibly inspiring people. I get both academic support and familial support in this organization, and it has helped shape my college experience for the better by a large margin.
HC: Tell us a little bit about Moody Monthly; you’re the editor-in-chief correct?
AH: That’s me! I have been the editor-in-chief for about a year now and have seen the publication grow so much. As the name probably implies, we produce a monthly newsletter that goes out to every single undergraduate student in the Moody College of Communication. We realized that, ironically, many of the events and opportunities around the college were not being communicated very well to students. Whether just getting lost in the sea of notices we receive in our inboxes, or not paying attention to class announcements, many awesome interdisciplinary things were not being noticed or attended by people who would be interested. We created Moody Monthly to provide an outlet to organizations wanting to get their message across in a platform that was easily digestible to the student body. It has grown so much since last year, and I am excited to see where it goes beyond my time as editor-in-chief.
HC: What are you passionate about?
AH: I mean, communication is high up on that list of passions. I believe that 99% of problems can be solved by productive communication, and teaching how to listen, comprehend, and effectively respond makes the world a better place. I am also passionate about political engagement and combatting inequality.
HC: What are your top three favorite restaurants in Austin?
AH: Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Moonshine Grill, and Fonda San Miguel
HC: What is one thing you wish you could change about yourself?
AH: I wish I wasn’t in my own head so much. I sometimes seem to forget that people can’t read my thoughts and I have to use my words to get action.
HC: If you could travel anywhere in the world with anyone (dead or alive), who would it be and where would you go?
AH: I would go back to The Eagle and Child pub in Oxford with J.R.R. Tolkien and ask him all about his life.
HC: What spirit food?
AH: A concha! Eating one always brings up happy memories of home.
HC: What is your go-to fun fact about yourself?
AH: I was in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! It was the coldest parade day in years and I was wearing just a leotard with leather dance shoes, but there is nothing like marching through Manhattan with a giant Sonic the Hedgehog balloon floating ominously behind your dance group.
HC: What do you want to accomplish before you die?
AH: Travel to every continent. I want to see as much of our amazing planet as I possibly can.