Sydelle Alvarez, BA ’16

I graduated in May 2016. The area of philosophy I enjoyed the most was bioethics. I recall taking Morals in Medicine with Prof. Steinbock where our class engaged in interesting discussions around controversial topics such as advance directives, euthanasia, and physician assisted suicide. 

A class I fondly remember is Morals and Society with Prof. D’Cruz. It was the first philosophy class I took during my freshman year and it made me decide to pursue a major in philosophy. Another class I remember is British Empiricism with Prof. Adams. It was a seminar style graduate level course I took during my senior year which was very challenging for me but definitely pushed me to grow as a student. 

Following UAlbany, I earned my master’s degree in Integrated Marketing from New York University in 2020. I currently work for a global media agency where I specialize in developing and executing digital advertising strategies for businesses. I’m also the founder of Beauty of the Isles which is a plant-based skincare brand inspired by my Caribbean heritage. 

Philosophy challenged me to really think critically. I learned how to evaluate and structure an argument. Philosophy also taught how me to formulate and clearly articulate my own opinions, and it pushed me to develop my writing skills. I was able to use all these skills I gained from my philosophy degree to be successful in my graduate studies and career. 

Profile Information from March 2025.