Celebrating Alyssa Nazario: From UJIMA Scholarship winner to IGA Intern to IGA Program Manager
Celebrating Our IGA Family
Celebrating Alyssa Nazario: From UJIMA Scholarship Winner to IGA Intern to Program Manager
At International Girls Academy, we believe that when girls are given real opportunities to lead, they transform not only their own lives, but their communities too. Few stories embody that belief more beautifully than the journey of Alyssa Nazario.
From UJIMA Scholarship winner, to IGA intern, to now serving as an IGA Program Manager, Alyssa’s path reflects what happens when talent, purpose, and support come together over time. Her story is not just a personal success—it is a living example of the kind of
Where It Started: UJIMA Scholarship Winner
Alyssa’s connection to International Girls Academy began with UJIMA, our program rooted in the principle of collective work and responsibility. As a student participant, she didn’t just show up for the opportunity—she maximized it.
As a UJIMA Scholarship winner, Alyssa stood out for:
Her commitment to service and community care
Her willingness to take initiative and step into leadership roles
The way she uplifted her peers, not just herself
Even then, it was clear Alyssa saw leadership not as a title, but as a responsibility. She listened deeply. She showed up prepared. She held herself to a high standard and encouraged others to do the same.
That early experience with UJIMA planted a seed: leadership and service were not just things she participated in; they were part of who she was becoming.
Deepening the Journey: From Student to IGA Intern
As Alyssa’s relationship with International Girls Academy grew, so did her responsibilities. Moving from participant to IGA intern, she stepped behind the scenes to help build the very experiences that had once supported her.
As an intern, Alyssa:
Assisted with program planning and logistics, learning how events and initiatives come together from start to finish
Supported student-facing activities, always centering youth voice and inclusion
Helped with communications and coordination, making sure students, families, and partners had what they needed to succeed
What stood out most was that Alyssa brought her lived experience as a student and scholarship recipient into every room she entered. She understood what it felt like to be on the receiving end of opportunity, and she used that insight to help shape more accessible, affirming spaces for other girls.
Her time as an intern was a bridge—between being served by IGA’s mission and actively helping to carry it forward.
Stepping Into Leadership: IGA Program Manager
Today, Alyssa serves as an IGA Program Manager, leading work that directly impacts students, families, and partners across our programs.
In this role, she:
Helps design and manage key initiatives like our MLK Week of Service, UJIMA programming, and other leadership experiences for girls
Coordinates with volunteers, speakers, and community partners, ensuring that every collaboration reflects IGA’s values
Supports the creation of forms, surveys, “Know Before You Go” guides, and scripts that make our programs feel organized, welcoming, and student-centered
Continues to champion youth voice, making sure girls are not just participants in our programs, but co-creators and leaders
Alyssa’s perspective as someone who has moved through multiple stages of the IGA ecosystem—student, recipient, intern, staff—is invaluable. She understands the full arc of our work, from first touchpoint to long-term impact.
Why Alyssa’s Story Matters
Alyssa’s journey is powerful not only because of where she is now, but because of what it represents:
Continuity: When girls stay connected to spaces that believe in them, they grow into leaders who can guide the next generation.
Representation: Students can look at Alyssa and see a real, tangible example of what it looks like to rise through the very programs they’re part of.
Impact: Every event Alyssa helps plan, every form she builds, every student she welcomes is touched by the same care and conviction that once supported her.
Her story reminds us that scholarships are not just about one award moment. Internships are not just about one season of experience. For us at International Girls Academy, these are pathways—into leadership, into purpose, and into roles where girls can shape the systems and spaces around them.
A Full-Circle Moment for International Girls Academy
When we talk about being “rooted in purpose,” Alyssa is exactly who we mean.
We are proud to celebrate:
Alyssa the student, who believed in her own potential.
Alyssa the UJIMA Scholarship winner, who modeled excellence and service.
Alyssa the intern, who learned the inner workings of program design and delivery.
Alyssa the Program Manager, who now helps carry the mission of International Girls Academy forward every day.
Her journey is a testament to what happens when young women are seen, supported, and given space to lead over time.
Looking Ahead
As International Girls Academy grows, we want Alyssa’s story to be the rule, not the exception—a blueprint for how girls can move from participants, to student leaders, to interns, to staff, and beyond.
To Alyssa:
Thank you for trusting us with your journey, for pouring your gifts back into this community, and for showing our girls what it looks like to rise while lifting others with you.
We are honored to celebrate you—and excited to see what you build next.
