Alyssa Wall

Alyssa Wall

Class Year

’16

Current home

Kenosha, Wis.

Major(s)

Chemistry and Japanese

Current Position

Chief Chemist at Racine Industries, Inc.

Alyssa Wall ’16 works as a Chief Chemist for Racine Industries, Inc., an international company that manufactures and distributes carpet cleaning systems. She manages the company’s laboratory and performs quality control and competitor product testing. 

While at Carthage, Ms. Wall took advantage of the diverse activities and areas of study the College provides for all of its students. She studied in two different majors, Japanese and chemistry, was a member of the Carthage Treble Choir, studied abroad, and attended multiple Fine Arts events. The pursuit of her interests paid off as she earned two Faculty Honors Scholarships and a Bridging Scholarship. She also won first place in Advanced Speech in the 2014 Carthage Japanese Speech and Performance Contest, and second place in Advanced Speech in Chicago’s 28th Annual Japanese Language Speech Contest. 

Ms. Wall believes that her college experience shaped her into who she is today and led to her current success. She encourages all Carthage students to engage in as many different activities as possible.

“Try a class or club that makes you nervous. Attend some of the endless free or inexpensive events to broaden your horizons. Study abroad if you can, even if it’s just for one J-Term.” 

“Take advantage of all the opportunities at Carthage in addition to earning your degree(s) because once you graduate, it’s not as easy to try new things! Most of my favorite Carthage memories and experiences come from the times I dared to go outside of my comfort zone.”

Alyssa Wall, ’16

How did Carthage prepare you?

“The practical laboratory instruction I received from Carthage is top-notch. My employers have been impressed by my safety habits, proper documentation skills, and experiment design skills. The small classroom settings also allowed me to regularly practice clear, concise communication. Studying abroad for my Japanese major taught me a multitude of soft skills pertaining to reaching common ground with diverse groups of people. These opportunities influenced my skills and character, allowing me to be a more professional and valuable employee.”

How has your liberal arts education benefitted you?

“I had the privilege of working as a ballroom dance instructor for Fred Astaire Dance Studios for a time after a lab contract ended. When giving introductory lessons, I needed to draw from the multitude of skills I gained from my liberal arts experience. I knew it would take a blend of emotional intelligence, active listening, communication techniques, and trial-and-error with different learning styles to help the dance couples get on the same page.”


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