Following her interests and passions - Amanda's career journey
Amanda majored in Human Development and Family Science at Messiah College because of the emphasis placed on the family as a whole. She knew that she always wanted to work with older adults and was able to focus on her area of interest in the aging population through writing papers and completing her service learning project in her Sociology of Aging course. For Amanda, her education at Messiah prepared her to see the aging population as a member of a whole family rather than just a one dimensional population group. Amanda's first year out of college was spent working as a bookkeeper for Home Instead Senior Care. Her passions have taken her further and she now has a position at The Modern Maturity Center as a Program Developer and Volunteer Coordinator.
Working with the aging population
Amanda has a dual job description as Program Developer and Volunteer Coordinator. As the Program Director, Amanda is in charge of planning and implementing the activities at The Modern Maturity Center. She seeks out different activities for the members of the senior center to enjoy, such as classes, clubs, seminars, and other fun activities. In addition, Amanda supervises the instructors who lead these activities.
As the Volunteer Coordinator, Amanda works for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Part of her job is to match volunteers over the age of 55 with community agencies who are seeking volunteer assistance. Amanda recruits, interviews, and matches the volunteers with an agency that suits their interests and abilities. Amanda also seeks out agencies that may need volunteers, but are not familiar with the RSVP program hosted by The Modern Maturity Center.
Amanda's Advice
"Don't put yourself in a box because of what you 'think' you are good at. Explore and develop skills in many areas. You may uncover a hidden talent or interest that could help you in your future career."