Alyssa Cuevas: Garnet & Gold Society, Torchbearer 100 inductee

By Rose Jackson

At the end of each academic semester, Florida State University names new inductee classes of the Garnet and Gold Scholar Society and the Torchbearer 100 Program, among several other organizations.

Being inducted into these prestigious communities of graduating FSU students and alumni is an honor to any, but Alyssa Cuevas accomplished the impressive feat of joining both the Garnet & Gold Scholar Society and the Torchbearer 100 Program when she graduated in Spring 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in English-Editing, Writing, and Media as well as a heavily decorated transcript and résumé.

Cuevas is one of the 113 Spring 2023 inductees into the GGSS, which facilitates and recognizes undergraduate student involvement and excellence. To qualify, students must excel within and beyond FSU in three out of five criteria: international experience; internship; leadership; research; and service.

Along with this engagement criteria, students must compose a synthesis reflection project in their final semester before graduation. Inductees are recognized during their graduation ceremony and their official university transcripts receive a designation of their accomplishment.

Earning just the GGSS recognition is impressive, but Cuevas’ extracurricular involvement while at FSU simultaneously qualified her for the Torchbearer 100 Program.

She is one of the diverse and extraordinary students who excelled in leadership, legacy, and community and campus impact during their time at FSU. These 100 students are chosen because they best exemplify the university’s core values: transformative daring; inspired excellence; dynamic inclusiveness; responsible stewardship; and engaged community.

FSU awarded the 2023 inductees with a Torchbearer 100 medallion during an April 25 celebration at the Student Union.

Cuevas’ journey at FSU began with having parents who are FSU alumni. Even coming from Knoxville, Tennessee, choosing FSU was easy for her: “FSU felt like a home away from home for me,” she says.

She chose to major in English for its Editing, Writing, and Media (EWM) track, especially because of the media focus, and the wide variety of industries and disciplines the studies prepare students for after graduation.

“The main reason I chose EWM is because I felt it encompassed a lot of the things that I was interested in, and I wouldn't have to be specifically tied to one thing,” Cuevas says.

As a newly graduated alumna, Cuevas is already looking ahead to a future career in publishing. She recently completed the two-month Columbia Publishing Course through the Columbia Journalism School in New York City, which, she says, “prepares you for a career in the publishing field.”

“I absolutely loved it,” she says. “I attended lectures from editors, publicists, and other industry professionals three times a day. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in publishing.”

She already is interviewing for jobs in New York City, and she says her experiences at Columbia were "definitely everything I was looking for and more." 

"I felt that the program was excellent at preparing me for what is expected of entry-level assistants in publishing, and gave me a holistic view of the industry," Cuevas adds. 

Cuevas has always taken the initiative to make connections with people. When she first arrived on FSU’s campus, she put considerable effort into becoming involved with a variety of groups and organizations.

“And I think that really set me up for success,” she says. “Being an out-of-state student, I came to FSU not knowing anyone, so I put a large emphasis on getting involved early in anything that I found remotely interesting.”

Cuevas held a leadership position as the risk management director in her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma, where she lived for her final three years at FSU. The job was challenging as she served during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this role led to Cuevas becoming the Vice President of Executive Affairs for the Panhellenic Association.

“I helped plan all the events like date functions to make sure we were following the rules, planning everything safely, and had a COVID-19 plan,” she says.

Soon, she was teaching 17 other chapters and their directors how to do the same. She also worked with a campus advocacy group that raises awareness of sex trafficking.

For her writing and publishing interests, Cuevas became a writer for Strike Magazine, Philia Magazine, and FSU Her Campus. In addition, she was an intern-writer for the Department of English, and she studied abroad in London.

The main reason I chose EWM is because I felt it encompassed a lot of the things that I was interested in, and I wouldn't have to be specifically tied to one thing.

— Alyssa Cuevas

Joining these different organizations helped make Cuevas a well-rounded student, a strong leader, and a successful scholar. Her involvement with organizations outside of the classroom, on and off campus, aligned with the caliber of students who become Garnet and Gold Scholars and Torchbearers.

Cuevas points to the GGSS reflection project as a valuable experience.

“I got to look back on everything I had been involved in and realize the impact of my student organizations and the people that I’ve met through them,” Cuevas says.

This has been a “unique experience,” she adds. “I’ve grown and changed as a leader, speaker, and individual.”

Outside of her academics, Cuevas She stays active by walking and running, and she is an avid reader, which she admits comes along with being an English major. The last book she read was Emily Henry’s Happy Place, a humorous contemporary romance novel. Once she moved out of her sorority, she enjoyed having her own kitchen and cooking.

Although Cuevas hopes her future is a career in publishing, she also is interested in working for a fashion and lifestyle magazine, similar to Strike and Her Campus.

With both Garnet and Gold Scholar Society and Torchbearer 100 honors on her belt, Cuevas has certainly set herself up for success and an opportunity to flourish in the Big Apple.

Rose Jackson is a senior with a major in English-Editing, Writing, and Media and a minor in Humanities.

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