Amanda Dye Melniczek ’19MED: As a First-generation College Student, Education was the Key to Opening the Door to a World of Opportunity to Learn, Travel and Grow

The NC State College of Education will graduate 157 students Dec. 19, 2019. This is part of a series of profiles with some members of the Class of 2019 who will walk cross the stage this December. 

Name: Amanda Dye Melniczek ’19MED

Hometown: Richlands, Va. 

Area of Study: Training and Development

Activities (Research or Extracurricular): Research on Universal Design for Learning for higher education, training for adjunct faculty.

Why did you choose your area of study? Previously, I was a practitioner that worked in nonprofit management, event planning and fundraising. I started teaching as an adjunct with limited knowledge of adult learning theory or course design, but I had a passion to teach communication theory and concepts to be applicable to the real-world for diverse student populations. This program has helped me to become a better educator by understanding course design, assessment and evaluation.

What’s your next step after graduation? I am currently teaching at the community college level and want to pursue a doctoral degree in education to further research online engagement and training practices for two-year college faculty.

How has the NC State College of Education prepared you for that next step? This program provided me the foundational knowledge of theory with practical application that will allow me to thrive both in continued graduate work and my current position.

Why did you choose education? As a first-generation college student from a rural Appalachian town, education was the key to opening the door to a world of opportunity to learn, travel and grow as a person and professional. I know firsthand how life can change through the investment of good teachers who care and see potential in you that you never knew you had. I am living proof of that.