Amanda Matticks lives her life in the fast lane at Rider. For one, she’s a student teacher, which demands much of her time. Then, she’s the (former) secretary of the Student Government Association. Going at a rate like this we’re sure that one day Amanda will rule the world. But we have to wonder, how does she do it? Here, Amanda tells all from her study abroad experience in London and what success means to her.
What is the most rewarding part of being involved on campus?
When you feel that you have a valued opinion at Rider and that you are able to make changes for the better. Luckily, as a senior in high school I knew that I would be playing on the women’s tennis team for Rider. I was extremely excited and I knew that being on the team would help me become a more involved leader on campus. Currently, I am captain of the women’s tennis team and hold other leadership positions on campus. I feel that there is plenty of encouragement on this campus for students to become more involved. Personally, I have felt encouragement most from my coach, Ed Torres, my advisor, my professors and my peers who challenge me as well.
You were the secretary of the student government association, what does that mean to you?
When I was elected as SGA secretary I was ecstatic and felt very honored. I felt a responsibility to keep up with all of the changes on Rider’s campus and make sure that everything was for the student’s benefit. Coming into college, I did not know that I would end up being so involved, I was very involved in high school but I never expected this level of commitment for myself at the college level. I am glad that I continued to be involved in college because my Rider experience would have been dramatically different if I were not as involved. I have met of my closest friends through athletics and extracurricular activities on campus. Through my participation on campus, I have discovered more about myself and more about the things that keep me motivated. I will take what I have learned from these experiences to my post-graduation life.
You see yourself one day being a school psychologist or a clinical psychologist for children with mental disabilities. How long has this been your goal?
After graduation, I plan on looking for a job for teaching students with disabilities in NJ. My long term goal is to go back to school and work towards a masters or doctorate in school psychology or clinical psychology. All of my life I have enjoyed working with young students and adults with mental disabilities. Growing up I knew that I enjoyed working with students who were not typical and I thought that interest should turn into a career. I enjoy working with young children mostly because they are fun, look up to teachers and most of the time they are very interested in learning new things. I enjoy special education the most because I find it more challenging. I like to help those students improve who need it the most. It is important to me to share my love of education with those who are struggling so that they can one day attend college.
What qualities do you possess that you think will make you a good teacher?
A good teacher really cares about his or her students and I know that I have that quality. A great teacher also cares about what the student is learning and how much they are retaining. I have the love for education and the motivation that it takes to become a good teacher. It is my goal to have my future students learn as much as they can while still having fun and to enjoy learning. I do not recall one teacher in my past that inspired me the most, but I was lucky enough to have many great teachers.
While in London last semester you interned at a psychiatric unit. Tell us about this experience.
Interning abroad was one of my most amazing experiences in my life. I worked in a psychiatric unit where students lived 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. My position was as a teaching assistant and I got the chance to work with very diverse students with a variety of disabilities including autism, schizophrenia, learning disabilities, eating disorders and much more. The second best part about my job was that my colleagues were from all over the world including England, New Zealand, Australia, Hungary, France, Belgium, South Africa and more! I never wanted to leave work because I would spend time talking to all of my coworkers about where they were from and they would ask me questions about the US. Interning abroad has helped me solidify my future career choice and allowed me to network and connect with people from all over the world in my field. I would highly recommend that students look into studying abroad, you will not regret it!
You are involved in a ton of different things on campus. What do you do to unwind after such a grueling schedule and heavy load of responsibilities?