Alumni's journey from student worker to creative professional

Riverside, Calif. (Aug. 4, 2026) — When Alyssa Burton (’26) first started college, one of her mentors told her, “If you can find something that you love and are able to serve others with it and be financially stable, then that’s the perfect recipe for success.” Burton said those words guided her during her time at California Baptist University. 

Burton first became familiar with the university as a young girl, through participating in one of CBU’s competitive swimming groups. As she got older, her family would regularly attend university events such as productions at the Wallace Theatre and the notorious Alumni Dining Common’s Sunday brunch. 

As an early graduate at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, Burton explored several options for college. In fact, she had decided to go to another institution until attending a session at CBU's Lancer Day. While there, Chris Hofschroer, dean of students, gave a message at the event that introduced Burton to the unique opportunities for community, involvement and personal growth available at CBU, and the idea that she could receive a quality education close to home. That realization secured Burton’s decision to go to CBU.  

Burton planned to pursue pre-med but chose an unconventional path. Rather than majoring in biology like most aspiring physicians, she wanted to distinguish herself from other medical school applicants. Drawn to the opportunities that CBU’s Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business provided, she chose to major in marketing, hoping the choice would help her develop a broader skill set. Halfway through freshman year, she added a minor in graphic design. 

Burton was fortunate to experience the university in unique ways through various student jobs. During her freshman year, she was a sports marketing and fan engagement intern for Athletics, where she assisted with event promotion, graphic design and social media management.  

From there, she interned in the CBU Recreation Center as the marketing and design lead, where she promoted all events held by the department, and even participated in a few. She later joined CBU’s Marketing and Communication department, as an assistant and content creator intern. In this role she assisted with social media, public relations and copywriting, often capturing photos and video at campus events. 

“I was really blessed to find community at CBU. I was able to branch out, meet people in classes, collaborate on group projects, explore Outdoor Adventure trips, play intramural sports and simply enjoy meals together,” Burton said. 

As she continued studying marketing, Burton decided to shift from the plan of pursuing medical school following CBU. 

“I ended up falling in love with marketing and the power it has to communicate with users, as well as the creative side that amplifies a brand’s presence,” she said. “I shifted career plans and leaned into the gifts I recognized God give to me.” 

In Burton’s last summer before senior year, she landed a graphic design internship with Esri, a global leader in geographic information system technology, headquartered in Redlands, Calif. And as graduation approached, her experience in both graphic design and marketing attracted the attention of companies like Fox Sports and In-N-Out Burger.  

However, the relationships she had built at Esri, and the company’s culture made her decide to apply for a full-time role with the company. She accepted a position as an associate graphic designer, translating marketing concepts into visually appealing designs. 

When asked what advice she would give to incoming freshmen who wish to excel in their college journey, Burton said it’s important to get involved. 

“It’s easy to want to stay in your comfort zone, but so much can happen when you’re willing to be stretched,” she said. 

Burton recommends trying intramural sports, getting involved with groups within CBU’s Spiritual Life, serving abroad or locally and attending events held by Community Life.  

For recent graduates who are still job searching, Burton recommends finding someone in your preferred field and asking to connect.  

“Being able to network early on even if you didn’t necessarily seek those opportunities in college is so critical for postgrad,” she said.