My name is Alexandria Fell, but most people know me as Alex. I was born in Washington D.C. and also lived in Seattle, Washington, before moving to Colorado. Both my parents were Army officers. I am a member of the Offshore Sailing Team and the Equestrian Team.

I originally decided to come to the Coast Guard Academy to study Marine and Environmental Sciences, however after taking freshman Statics and Engineering Design I began to realize how much I enjoyed engineering. I started off my second year as a MES major, however switched into Naval Architecture at the end of the first semester. Looking back, I am glad I switched.

The biggest lesson that I learned here at the Coast Guard Academy is this: find out what makes you happy and pursue it no matter what the consequences. Now I’m not saying go rob a bank or do something extreme. What I’m trying to get at is two things: first off, if you’re looking into which major you want to be, don’t pick something just because you think it is going to be easy. Whichever major you pick, you are going to have some late nights and it’s going to be a lot easier to get all the work done if it is something you enjoy doing. My second point is if you enjoy doing something, don’t let the fear of extra work down the road prevent you from doing what you love. Throughout my experience here, I found that you have to make time for the things you enjoy. If you truly enjoy doing something, you can and will find a way to make it work. Don’t be afraid to go try new things. The Academy provides the opportunity to try new and different things that you will never be able to experience anywhere else.