Alyeska Sturt ’12 changed her own life—and now saves the lives of others.

Before attending St. Ursula Academy, Sturt was a student at Ladyfield Elementary and St. Joseph Parish School Sylvania. She jumped right into high school extra-curricular activities when she became an Arrow. She played volleyball and still holds an SUA Track and Field record in shotput.

With volleyball being her love, she also played on travel teams. Sturt’s family loves to travel, so they spent their summers in Mexico and Colorado, where her sister, Sierra ’14, currently lives.

After graduation, Sturt’s interest led her to the University of Toledo, with a plan to work in bioengineering after graduation. She thought she could eventually go into the medical equipment sales field. But upon arrival on campus, her mindset shifted. Because she had been so active in sports and traveled so much in her younger years, she focused on something new--establishing a social life—in college. She built relationships and had the experience she wanted. She also changed her major to marketing and sales. Her first job out of college was a terrible experience. She knew she would be happier working on a team and being closer to family.

On a chance encounter, Sturt ran into her sixth-grade volleyball coach, who asked if she ever thought about working as a firefighter. She had recently had a similar conversation with her uncle. Sturt had never seriously considered the profession, but her mother, then her sister—neither knowing about her other conversations—brought up the idea. Soon after these telling signs, Sturt decided to enroll in school to become a firefighter and paramedic.

Today, she has a busy life: she works 24 hours straight, but is off work the next 48 hours, and no two days are the same. She still plays volleyball and has added tennis and an occasional game of co-ed football to her interests. During one of the games, she met her fiancé, John. Sturt’s advice to SUA graduates is to look for people who support their dreams. “Don’t ask for permission; ask for support,” she advocated. She is living her new dream of being a member of the Sylvania Fire-EMS team.