From a public school in Paphos to the laboratories of Harvard and MIT, Alyssa’s journey reads like the kind of story that begins with an improbable dream and ends with a new definition of what’s possible. In her 20s, she became the first Cypriot admitted to Harvard’s Master’s in Data Science program, a milestone that speaks as much to her determination as to the growing network of opportunities now opening up for young minds across Cyprus.

Backed by the Exness Fintech Scholarship Programme, an initiative that empowers talented Cypriots to pursue studies at the world’s leading universities, Alyssa stands among the brightest of her generation. She represents the next wave of Cypriots who aim high and build futures grounded in intellect, innovation, and purpose. Her story is one of grit and grace, of breaking ceilings with quiet confidence and proving that excellence can begin anywhere.

When we met her, Alyssa spoke with disarming honesty about ambition, belonging, and the courage it takes to go further than anyone expects.

Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself?  Where did you grow up, your academic journey, and what do you love doing beyond your studies?

I was born and raised in Paphos, Cyprus, where I attended A’ Lykeio Ethnarchi Makariou III Pafou. I later moved to the United Kingdom to study mathematics at the University of Manchester, where I graduated as Valedictorian and was honoured with the “Outstanding Academic Achievement Award” by the university dean, Dame Nancy Rothwell, as well as the “Mathematics Excellence Award”.

I am currently pursuing my master’s in data science at Harvard and MIT, becoming the first Cypriot ever to join the program. My research focuses on artificial intelligence, specifically embodied intelligence and agentic systems: intelligent machines that can reason, adapt, and act in the real world. I’m especially drawn to developing mathematically grounded AI that goes beyond pattern recognition to become truly interactive.

Alongside my research, I serve as a Teaching Fellow in statistics at Harvard, contributing to three courses and helping to shape the university’s academic community.

Beyond academia, I’ve been passionate about classical ballet and dance for many years, a discipline I continue to enjoy today. I also love swimming, traveling, and mentoring the next generation of students.

If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

Determined.    

What went through your mind when you first connected with Exness?

Gratitude and inspiration. Opportunities like the Exness Fintech Scholarship are rare for Cypriot students, and connecting with Exness felt like a powerful signal that our community is beginning to embrace moonshot individuals and ambitious dreams on a global scale.

It was also a moment of recognition that companies like Exness believe in the boundless potential of young individuals and are committed to creating pathways that make even our most daring goals feel attainable.

What has life been like studying at Harvard?

At first, living at Harvard felt like stepping into a dream. Walking into classrooms with professors whose research has shaped how we understand the world, crossing paths with Nobel laureates, or listening to figures like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, people we once saw only on screens.

Very quickly, though, that dream becomes a daily rhythm. The pace is extraordinary: one day you’re debating frontier research in a seminar, and the next you’re building technologies that could define the next generation of the internet. People think fast and move even faster, a rhythm that can only be understood when you experience it.

What makes Harvard extraordinary isn’t just its name, but the environment it cultivates. It brings together some of the most driven individuals in the world. People with remarkable stories and insights, from whom you learn as much in conversation as you do in class. The exchange is constant: intellect, knowledge, ambition. It’s a community where giving and receiving ideas happen in equal measure.

Also, the opportunities are endless. Ecosystems, events, and networks are so abundant that you could fill an entire life just by showing up. The extraordinary becomes normal and that transforms how you think about what's possible. You start to see yourself as capable of shaping the future.

And yet, there’s also the quiet rhythm of life.Waking up, having breakfast, going to classes, studying, exercising, having dinner, sleeping, and repeating. In those still moments, it feels ordinary until you take a call from home or pause long enough to realise how far you’ve come and pride settles in.

Pride in representing how far a Cypriot student can go, and in knowing that dreams once thought distant have become real.  (hero phrase)

What challenges did you face growing up?

One of the biggest challenges was the absence of big dreams around me. In a small community, ambition was often confined to what was familiar, and imagining more could feel out of reach. I’m deeply grateful to my mother and grandparents, who encouraged my siblings and I to believe in aiming higher and to see beyond the boundaries of our surroundings.

What advice would you give to young Cypriots with big dreams?

Go for it. Listen to those who believe in you even more than you believe in yourself. Others will always see you through the lens you hold for yourself, so carry your ambition with pride and conviction.

Coming from Cyprus, it can sometimes feel as though the world is far away or that opportunities are reserved for others. But if there’s one message I hope to share, it’s that your goals are within reach, no matter where you begin. Believe in yourself so deeply that it inspires others to believe too.

And when you achieve something, become the role model you once searched for. Show the next generation that the world is open to them as well. (hero phrase)

What do you miss most about Cyprus?

If I had to choose one, it would be halloumi. It’s more than just food, it’s the taste of home, of shared tables and family traditions.