SAN FRANCISCO – Known as one of the hardest-working individuals and capable of much more than others twice her size, Academy of Art women's soccer and softball dual student-athlete graduate Alyssa Rasmussen has seen her professional career grow tremendously over the past year as she became an associate for baseball video systems with the San Francisco Giants.

"In my last couple years at Academy of Art, I started to explore the world of sports design and decided it was a career path that I wanted to pursue," Rasmussen said. "We get a decent amount of creative freedom for our final projects, so I began focusing a lot of my work around athletics in order to appeal towards future employers. I spent a lot of time networking on sites like LinkedIn and browsing through job boards specifically for sports."

Following her graduation from the School of Graphic Design in 2022, Rasmussen's research led to her first job in professional sports with NJ/NY Gotham FC, a National Women's Soccer League team. Brought on as a junior graphic designer, she worked in the creative department, designing digital graphics for social channels, in-game video board content, and merchandise. Months into her time there, Rasmussen discovered a posting on another sports job board, TeamWork Online, for the San Francisco Giants. The opportunity turned out to be a perfect fit for both and Rasmussen began her video systems stint in January 2023.

From Spring Training in Arizona and throughout the subsequent regular season in San Francisco, Rasmussen's responsibilities within the Giants' Baseball Operations department have her working closely with players and staff while operating data and video technology. She could be found in the Major League clubhouse and on-field during gamedays, capturing and distributing content that the team uses internally such as tech and video in the bullpen and dugout, in-game and practice session footage, and systems like BATS Web and Hawk-Eye.

"Getting the opportunity to work with the best of the best at the highest level of the sport is an extremely humbling and surreal experience," Rasmussen said. "I couldn't have asked for a better organization to be a part of for my first season in Major League Baseball. I have learned so much in my first year and hope to continue to advance my skillset."

In Rasmussen's time at Academy of Art, that skillset included two sports as her fall season of soccer would give way to softball in the spring. She joined the Urban Knights soccer team in 2017 and went on to be one of the most durable student-athletes in program history, finishing as the career leader in minutes played (6,479). She never missed a start in 73 matches played (second in ART U history) and ended with one goal scored as well as two assists while leading the defense as a multi-year team captain.

"Being a student-athlete is truly an experience like no other and has molded me into the person I am today," Rasmussen said. "I would not be where I am now without the skills I developed, the people I met, or the experiences I encountered during my time at Academy of Art. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to represent not only one, but two, ART U teams throughout my studies."

Rasmussen made her debut for ART U softball in 2018 and, in the four seasons that followed, she demonstrated impressive speed particularly on the basepaths. The Honolulu native scored 41 runs, connected on two triples, and swiped 24 steals in 33 attempts to rank among the program's top 10 in career stolen base percentage (.727). Thriving on the soccer pitch as well as the softball field, Rasmussen exemplified the student-athlete in the classroom as a four-time Academic All-PacWest Team honoree and a multi-year member of the Academy of Art Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, ending as SAAC president in 2021-22.

"It was such a fun time for me whether it was getting to play with my teammates on the soccer and softball teams, exploring the city with the friends I made here, or traveling to compete against other schools. I also got to develop my leadership skills and cultivate a sense of community within the athletic department through organizations like SAAC. I've played sports my entire life, and the lessons you learn and things you go through as an athlete, you can't get anywhere else. Especially working in sports now, I've realized that this sense of team and community never goes away, no matter what level you're at."

When thinking about the generations of ART U student-athletes who follow her, Rasmussen's advice focuses on relationships and immersion.

"Being able to receive an education in my desired field, while continuing to play sports at the next level in San Francisco, was a very rare opportunity that I do not for one second take for granted," Rasmussen said. "You get a truly one-of-a-kind experience being an Academy of Art student-athlete and you are connected with so many unique individuals. If I could give one piece of advice to future or current student-athletes, I would emphasize the importance of building connections with your peers and mentors from every background and field. If you're set on what you want to accomplish in life, that's great, but more often than not, you're going to change your mind. This school has such a diverse variety of classes and I believe that you should immerse yourself in as much of it as possible. Whether it's to discover something you excel in or something you never want to do again, trying different things will help you figure out what you're passionate about much sooner. Knowing what you don't want in life is just as, if not more, important than knowing what you do enjoy."
 
Building upon a memorable 2023 with the San Francisco Giants, Rasmussen will continue to have her leadership skills and versatile skillset guide her to more industry opportunities as the calendar turns to 2024 and beyond.

"After my professional experiences thus far, I can confidently say that I want to continue working in sports," Rasmussen said. "The places and roles that entail are never-ending in this profession, but I'm excited to see where it takes me in the future. The people I've gotten to work with and learn from have influenced me so positively and have created such great examples for what I have to look forward to in my career."