It is often said that people are defined by those they know. Some even claim that no two people can interact without both leaving altered in some small way. Graduate of Elizabethtown College Alysa Poindexter, ‘12, is a living example of the way people are defined by their relationships and those surrounding them.

Poindexter first figured out the direction she wanted to go with her career after a negative experience with a high school teacher. One day during her senior year of high school, her English teacher asked the class what fields they were planning to work in.

“I had a moment of panic. With sweat forming on my palms and nervous quiver to my voice, I answered ‘English’—not at all understanding what I meant,” Poindexter wrote in an email interview. “I always enjoyed writing and my English courses, so my brain went on auto-pilot. I’ll never forget how my teacher stopped in front of me, laughed sarcastically, said, ‘Yeah, good luck with that,’ and moved on.”

This response led Poindexter to do more research into English based careers until she discovered journalism as a career.

Following this discovery, Poindexter became an editor for her school newspaper, took a college English course and began to research black journalists such as Ida B. Wells and Ethel Payne.

Poindexter was able to take what amounted to an awful, potentially discouraging interaction and turn it into motivation for a career.

Poindexter is now a sales and marketing associate for J&J Haimes, LLC, in Lancaster, which—she added in an email interview—is hiring at the moment. She began working there in 2016 when she switched directions in her career.

“My average day includes a lot of tea, meetings and a positive attitude,” Poindexter said via email.

In her job as a sales and marketing associate, Poindexter works with clientele on marketing and sales projects and also helps to conduct data research and manages databases for her clients.

An aspect of her job Poindexter especially appreciates is the potential to continue bettering herself.

“Every day I feel that I learn something new, and therefore acquire or grow my skills in a field that is still relatively new to me. It’s very exciting,” she said via email.

Prior to accepting her current position with J&J Haimes, Poindexter worked as as a production assistant for FOX43 News in York, PA. Poindexter said she felt well-suited to the position because of her time working on production projects with associate professor of communications Dr. Colin Helb. While at FOX43, Poindexter also began working as a writer by assisting the station producers.

“It was an extremely surreal experience to interact with the people you see every day on television,” Poindexter said in an email.

Poindexter was quickly promoted to weekend producer at FOX43 and produced “some of Central PA’s most viewed weekend newscasts.”

Outside of her job, Poindexter volunteers in her community. Currently, Poindexter serves as the Vice President of the Lancaster branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

“The NAACP is the oldest civil rights organization in the country, and it is truly an honor to service the community through them,” Poindexter wrote in an email.

Additionally, Poindexter is a member of the Elizabethtown College Alumni Association (ECAA) alumni affinity club, Nexus. Nexus seeks to connect Etown alumni and the College community.

According to Poindexter, the mission of Nexus is “establish a vibrant alumni network of individuals who identify with and/or support the College’s African American, Latinx, Asian American, Native American (ALANA) ethnic groups. We work to aid, assist and advise fellow members of the greater college community, as well as support Elizabethtown’s initiatives that encourage inclusive excellence.”

While she was at the College, Poindexter became more confident in her ability as a leader and was inspired to get involved in activism.
“I continue to follow the models they helped to set each and every day,” Poindexter wrote in an email.

Poindexter greatly enjoyed her time at Etown, especially valuing the relationships she built while at the College. She still appreciates the help and support offered by faculty, staff and other students while she was a student.

Poindexter mentioned professors with especial influence on her, including Professor of English Dr. Louis Martin, Director of the Bowers Writers House Jesse Waters along with Helb.

“They took personal interest in me and my classmates, and to this day I still get teary-eyed reflecting on the seeds they planted which have grown into wonderful and forever blossoming skills,” Poindexter wrote in an email.
“Their lessons went beyond the subject – it was about making us better people. I am so grateful for them.”

Through her interactions with these influential figures at Etown, Poindexter was shaped into the driven, involved individual she is today and will continue to be as she progresses in her career and life.