Anna Ortiz Genova was a member of the Women's Soccer team at SCAD. She graduated in 2014 with a BFA in Graphic Design with concentration in Visual Communications. We checked in on what she's been doing since her time at SCAD, and the impact that her experience in the sports program had on her career!

What does life look like for you after graduation?

Feels like a lifetime ago! After graduation I've continued to play soccer and kept getting better as I went. I started playing forward and I was written up in a local paper for scoring a goal doing a bicycle kick on a semi pro team! On the work side, my husband and I have our own Creative Design and Strategy Business along with Audio Engineering and Bookkeeping businesses we've been building for the past few years. And we have two beautiful little legends we're obsessed with.

What is one of your proudest professional accomplishments?

I wouldn't say there is one single accomplishment, but what I will say is that I have built a strong word of mouth reputation for the kind of work I deliver. Clients come to me without the need for portfolio reviews or testing my abilities because they trust the quality of my expertise in strategy, marketing, and design. One of the qualities I have often been told I hold is the ability to draw people in, and I use that both in life and in my work with clients.

But ultimately, my proudest accomplishment is being able to work full time while taking care of our babies. My husband and I intentionally set ourselves up to both work from home and be fully present for our kids. It is a luxury, and one we worked very hard to create.

What is a favorite memory or moment as a member of the women's soccer team?

My very first memory with the soccer team was experiencing Coach Carter… in the winter! I joined the team late and I am pretty sure I was being tested to see if I would last the winter with Coach Carter. There was so much anxiety coming in brand new, slower than I had ever been, and not knowing anyone other than Katelyn La Roux.

There was one early morning session where we went through our usual competition, and we had to sprint around Turner, mostly uphill, four times in under a seemingly impossible time. On the fourth time around, some of us fell, scraped our knees, and, exhausted, did not make the time. You could feel our hearts stop!

But then, Coach Carter smiled, because he knew he was going to make us run again! And so, we did. We sprinted around Turner again, knowing that if we did not make the time, he would, guaranteed, have us do it again. As each of us passed the finish line, we would turn and yell to encourage everyone else to keep pushing. And come to find out, we all had it in us to make it on the fifth time! But it took us the 5th round to learn the value of pushing ourselves further than we think we can go… And that Coach Carter won't feel bad for us if we didn't make it (which is a whole lesson in and of itself)!

That same mindset is what carried me through the rest of my time on the team. Realizing that, despite playing time, I could keep pushing myself to be faster, more efficient, more equipped to handle myself–physically during preseason and mentally/emotionally during the season–and love it!

How did your time in the women's soccer program effect your time at SCAD?

The dedication and drive behind everyone involved was truly inspiring. Being at SCAD, things were a bit different. We would be on road trips and still had to make sure our projects were completed and turned in on time. Players would have hot glue guns out, along with full sketches and drafts spread across the bus.

There was always a push to be a little better, to learn from one another, and to value different opinions and ideas while beginning to form your own. That balance of creativity, discipline, and teamwork was something that really stood out to me.

What is one life or career lesson you've learned through your time at SCAD?

Honestly, learning to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Things are always going to be tough, and every season in life and sports will be different, challenging, and unexpected, but that is part of the fun. It is the not knowing, learning to be okay with failure, and realizing that it is often just a pivot point.

Everyone has a role, both big and small. I learned that I had to find mine during my years at SCAD, and I continue to find it even now afterward.

What is your advice to the new members of the SCAD Bees community?

There is such a large community and network of people with so much to offer. There will always be opportunities to reach out, reconnect, and work together, using each other's skill sets to support one another's visions and goals.

Some of the most meaningful collaborations and friendships come from simple conversations and shared experiences. That sense of community does not end at graduation; it grows stronger when you continue to invest in it.

Quick Hits:
Favorite place to eat in Savannah? Carlitos (I'm biased because I shot my shot to the waiter who is now my husband). And of course Zunzies!
Favorite off-campus location? I loved the Print lab (under the bridge) and the Bean coffee shop!
Favorite non-SCAD athletics/class experience? Frequently sat by the river, thrifting new things, playing pickup (or honestly doing anything) at Forsyth Park
Favorite sport to watch? Still love watching Soccer. Will engage in some Tennis watching as well :)

If you are interested in participating in our Alumni Spotlight Series, please email sid@scad.edu for consideration.