Whether designing invitations for A-List parties, training athletes on Title IX and working with victims of domestic violence, researching bills, or event planning for the Black Student Association or her residents, Alycia Montrond-Bullock does it all.
Montrond-Bullock, a senior criminal justice major, has passions within and beyond criminal justice. Currently, Montrond-Bullock is interning with Senator Liz Miranda, assisting with her campaign over the summer and transitioning at the start of the academic year to assisting with graphics, researching bills, and talking with community members at the State House.
“She’s definitely found her voice, her passion was there when she started, but I think she’s been able to hone that passion and really channel it into specific goals and outcomes,” Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Kellie Wallace said. “She’s doing what she’s doing and studying what she’s studying to make a change. She wants to help people who have been disadvantaged or disenfranchised by the justice system. She wants to address the inequities of the system, whether that’s on a racial level, a socioeconomic level, any other type of access or ability level, and I think over the four years here, she’s been able to take an interest and turn it into a career path or an ambition.”
Furthermore, Wallace says Montrond-Bullock has a unique skill, “She is able to recognize there are some things [the criminal justice system] does right, but rather than just pointing a finger and saying ‘This is what’s wrong’, she is able to say ‘Here are some issues in the system and this is what we can do to fix it’. She’s very action-oriented rather than just complaining for the sake of complaining. It’s easy to point things out, it’s harder to take that next step and apply what you’ve been learning to fix the issue that we found.”
While passionate about reform and public policy within criminal justice, Montrond-Bullock also has a passion for advocacy and working with victims of domestic violence. She assisted former professor Karin Raye with athlete Title IX training and the annual Take Back the Night. While Montrond-Bullock values these real-life experiences, others see the value as well.
“Getting that real-world experience is just so amazing, and other people may not necessarily have that…I got to learn so many different things that people on the outside don’t get to see,” Montrond-Bullock said. She also mentioned a connection she made through her Title IX work with One Love, an organization aimed to educate young people on the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships, providing them with life-saving tools and education. That connection also emphasized the importance of those experiences, telling Montrond-Bullock it “puts her at an advantage.”
Junior law and public affairs major Gaelle Nelfise was the Section 504 Intern last semester and worked closely with Montrond-Bullock, saying she is the reason the trainings went so smoothly. “She is really friendly, and she is a great public speaker…She’s able to connect with people, really because she is kind and open, so I think that’s one thing that’s helped with the trainings, people are way more comfortable and at ease.”
Montrond-Bullock also has her own graphic design business, Aly Designs. Montrond-Bullock self-taught during the pandemic because she enjoyed learning about design and watching other people’s work. The goal with Aly Designs: bring people’s visions to life.
Montrond-Bullock’s biggest accomplishment was working with a Los Angeles event planner to create a menu and invitation for the BET Awards. “I was just so surprised and grateful because it came to me during a hard time in my life, and it just felt like a real blessing for me to understand my purpose and keep going,” Montrond-Bullock said.
Amanda Smolenski, Montrond-Bullock’s Area Coordinator as a Resident Assistant in Forest Hall, describes her as passionate and creative. “She’s a go-getter in a lot of ways. If she sees a role she wants or activity that she wants to do, she’s 100% just going to go for it and try her best to get there,” Smolenski said. “She’s doing a million things at once at all times…she’s doing so much, but she’s really passionate in all that she’s doing.”
Despite all her involvement, Montrond-Bullock still wishes she did more. “I wish I did everything because that’s how you make such good connections, you meet great people, you build lifelong experiences that you’ll never forget,” Montrond-Bullock said. Her biggest value to live by and advice to current students is to “never settle, keep looking, keep pushing yourself even if you are content with what you are doing, keep going, and keep trying new things.”
Wallace wishes the same for Montrond-Bullock as she finishes her time at Lasell. “I would encourage her to continue on that path, continue taking those risks, taking those opportunities, putting herself in situations that may not be comfortable and know that when you try, and it doesn’t work out, you didn’t fail, you just found a way that doesn’t work. Continue that perseverance, and to keep that passion alive because this is a very depressing field, it can kick you down real fast, but the passion that you have, the drive that motivates you, that’s what we need.”
Following graduation, Montrond-Bullock will shift her focus to running Aly Designs full-time, finding a way to find a balance and bridge design and working with victims.
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