Translation of the Dutch text by Cylia Hendriks / Foto: eigen beeld / 12 november 2026

Conducting interviews at the Red Cross for her Master’s degree one day, walking the runway for Prada the next: Alyssa Traore moves between two very different worlds. At VU Amsterdam, she specialised in Security Governance, and now she is returning to modelling too. How to bring those two worlds together is something she is still figuring out.

You were discovered as a model at a young age. How did it all begin?
‘I was scouted in Amsterdam when I was eleven, and I’ve been involved in modelling ever since. At fifteen, I signed with the international agency IMG, so I was already working while I was still at secondary school. Afterwards, I took a gap year, which eventually turned into three.’

But you eventually decided to go to university. Why did you choose Amsterdam University College, which is affiliated with VU Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam?
‘It was a deliberate choice, because studying online doesn’t work for me. At a university college, classes are small and you get a lot of individual attention. I saw that as a major advantage. I hardly did any modelling during my Bachelor’s degree. The pandemic brought modelling to a temporary halt, so I didn’t really have to juggle the two.’

You graduated cum laude with your Bachelor’s degree. Was that your goal from the outset?
‘It was when I started. I’m someone who aims for high grades. At the same time, I’m a terrible procrastinator. I find it really difficult to make myself do things, and then I get stuck in this paralysing in-between stage. Then the pandemic hit, and I was also going through a difficult time personally. Shortly before finishing my Bachelor’s, I started doing the maths: what grades did I still need to graduate cum laude? So I’m not necessarily a straight-A student, but I am goal-oriented.’

‘I felt something was missing from modelling. That’s what led me to set up the creative hub’

In 2023, you founded The Mudita, a creative hub for young people in Purmerend, together with your former brother-in-law, who is also a young entrepreneur. How did you come up with the idea?
‘I felt something was missing from modelling. That feeling led me to set up the creative hub with him. I was surrounded by creativity and had quite a lot of free time. Then everything fell into place: there needed to be a space for creative people. Purmerend didn’t really have anything like that yet. It was something I could really throw myself into.

Young people involved in creative activities can apply to join us. We provide them with a space by renting out studios. We’ve also worked with the local council, for example on producing podcasts, and with secondary schools on projects such as a music-making course. All sorts of opportunities came our way.’

What have you gained from running your own business?
‘As a model, you operate as a sole trader, but this was a proper company. It gave me a new perspective on entrepreneurs and how they work. We also became involved in the local business community. I spent a year on the board of the Business Improvement District (BIZ). Our aim was to bring local businesses together and support them, so that, for example, the town would have Christmas lights during the festive season. That experience also steered me towards public administration.’

‘A job where I spend all day sitting behind a computer isn’t for me’

Why did you choose to study for a Master’s in Public Administration at VU Amsterdam?
‘I knew I wanted to study in Amsterdam and do something involving governance, public administration and security. I’m interested in lots of different things, but this Master’s was the best fit for my Bachelor’s, which included courses on politics, international relations and social sciences. So now I have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s that complement each other well. I’d like to move into a role involving governance or guidance.’

Fashion and public administration: how do those two worlds relate to each other?
‘They really are two very different worlds. In fashion, you work with lots of people who want to do highly creative things. That’s less the case in public administration. On the one hand, that’s interesting, but on the other, it can also be overwhelming. You do feel the pressure to choose a single career path.

I’m still very much trying to figure out how to bring those different interests together. A job where I spend all day sitting behind a computer isn’t for me. The contact with fellow students during my Master’s was also different from my Bachelor’s. We only had classes on Fridays during my Master’s: one long, seven-hour day. That made it harder to really build connections.’

‘You just have to go for it. If you’re in doubt? Do it!’

You also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro a few years ago. How did that come about?
‘I really wanted to travel. A friend of mine was working for an NGO in Madagascar, and I thought: why not go and visit her? Then I noticed that Tanzania was nearby. I’ve always enjoyed walking; for example, I take part in the Nijmegen Four Days Marches every year. And I’m surrounded by lots of adventurous people.

When you enter the fashion industry at such a young age and start flying all over the world, the world suddenly feels very small. What would be a train journey to Utrecht for someone else was a flight to New York for me. That made me realise just how much you can do in the world. It’s also why I find it difficult to choose just one thing. I want to try everything.’

You’ve now completed your Master’s degree. What’s next?
‘Now it’s time to enter the world of work. I think about it a lot: where could I end up? I’m getting back into modelling, and I’m giving it a year. But you do have to make a lot of sacrifices. When you need to keep so much of your time free, it’s difficult to commit to a job. At the same time, modelling still leaves me with plenty of spare time. I’m still figuring out what I want to do with it.’

What advice would you give students who want to combine their studies with following their own path?
‘You just have to go for it. If you’re in doubt? Do it. And while you’re studying, surround yourself with fellow students as much as possible so you stay connected to that world. Invest in the social side of university life too.

Spending time with people who share your passions is so important when it comes to staying on your chosen path. Keep seeking out those connections, even when it feels daunting or takes a lot of effort. You’ll reap the rewards later on.’