When it came time for Alisha Stratton to start attending college, BYU-Idaho was the last place on her mind. However, after taking a campus tour, she started to feel a little bit differently. “It was not my first choice of colleges that I wanted to go to, but I came up to BYU-Idaho, did a tour, and it just felt right…I always had intentions to transfer somewhere else after my first couple of years, but it was such a great experience that I never left.”
During her time at BYU-Idaho, Stratton first worked as a basketball coach and eventually became the director of all sports programs at the university. Because of the structure at BYU-Idaho, she found that she was able to take an interest in sports and still have time for work and classes.
Stratton also participated in the activities program. This would prove to be one of the key experiences that helped prepare Stratton for her success outside of school. “It gave me a safe space to test and try things I had never done before…I got to implement everything that I was learning in my classes in a real-world environment through all of these different jobs that I had in [the] activities program.”
This hands-on experience was also available to her in her classes. Stratton’s teachers Professor Barney and Professor Shippin were two that she worked closely with, both in class and outside of it. Professor Barney set Stratton and his other students up for success by making them responsible for solving problems and finding answers together as a group. He was always available if they needed help, but it was ultimately up to the students to be successful in their classroom.
“I took a mobile course. I had Brother Barney for that course. And he would give us a project and then say, “Okay, go now, figure out how to do it.” And he would be available for us to ask him questions or find out if we needed things. But at the end of the day, we as a class were accountable to work with each other and find the resources we needed to succeed with those projects.”
Participation in the activities program and her involvement as sports programs director gave Stratton several unique leadership opportunities. She also participated in an internship that took her to San Antonio for twelve years. This internship allowed her to quickly move up the ladder, resulting in her going from “college hire to executive in ten years.”
Stratton also attributes her success to gaining an education at a university where practical principles are intertwined with spiritual principles. She expressed that the education available at BYU-Idaho is versatile and unique, unlike anything available at other schools. She also advised future students to take advantage of everything the university offers. There are few limitations to what students can pursue and the emphasis on teamwork makes for a less competitive experience.
“The advice I'd have for a prospective student would be to take advantage of all the opportunities that BYU-Idaho provides…So many opportunities are available for anyone who wants to pursue anything.”
Today, Stratton works for USAA as the Executive Director of Application Development and is primarily responsible for overseeing member service representative tools. She also continues to be involved with BYU-Idaho and visits frequently to work with the Women in STEM programs.