Alyssa was born and raised in a small farm town in Connecticut, where she spent her childhood reading and spending time with her horse. She attended Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT where she double majored in International Business and Marketing, and has just finished her last semester. In 2011, she took a trip to Leon, Nicaragua to distribute microloans to a few small businesses. In preparation for the class, she read “Banker to the Poor” by Muhammad Yunus, it was an eye-opener for her that businesses and economic models could exist for a social cause and did not have to be about shareholder wealth. Alyssa started focusing more on social businesses, and through her position as the President of the International Business Society was able to bring Muhammad Yunus to speak at her university. She is excited for her Kiva Zip fellowship and hopes that it will help her better understand the loan process and challenges small businesses face in the United States. After her fellowship, she wants to work with small farmers helping them gain access to capital and fight harmful agricultural policies. In 2-3 years, she intends to go back to school for a Masters in Public Policy.