"It was freshmen year that she discovered Pasta Bar at Towers."

Amanda Brooks is one of the hidden gems working at UConn’s Lodewick Visitors Center. She started working last fall, and this spring, I sat down with her and find out a little more about Miss Amanda. The results were pleasantly surprising.

The life of Amanda got it’s start in Philadelphia, where she lived until the age of five. She’s lived in Monroe, CT all the way through high school, when she made the big move to Storrs, CT. She went to a fairly large high school, with about 350 students in her graduating class, and played softball and ran track. While many find that large of a high school experience daunting, Amanda enjoyed the experience. She spoke with excitement about a number of high school courses she took that have made a difference in her major (and hopefully career) choice and direction. A class called “Law and Society” put her on track to pursue a pre-law major once she got to UConn. And while she isn’t the biggest fan of the math and sciences, the general education requirements weren’t the hardest burden she faced at college.

In fact, her transition to college life seems to have come pretty naturally. Undoubtedly, there were several growing pains and adjustments to make, but by diving right in, she made the switch fairly seamlessly. By finding Pasta Bar at Towers early on, all the food woes were alleviated. And she lucky to share a quad with three others girls who she still calls her friends today. Amanda also got started with an on campus job right off the bat, working in the Undergraduate Student Government office. I was surprised to find out that Amanda is fairly passionate about UConn sports, and has held student season tickets for a number of years. Perks of working at the Visitors Center? She got to take a photo with Kemba Walker!

Through talking with her, I really felt the sense of pride that Amanda has as a Husky. Her passion for UConn and the sense of community in Storrs is one of the reasons she chose to come to this school, and I know she’s perpetuating that sense of community with all the people who are lucky to interact with here.

Wherever the future takes Amanda, whether to Chicago for law school, Boston for criminal law, or a non-profit organization anywhere across the country, we know that classes and experiences, paired with her Husky pride, will make her largely successful and happy. Good luck, Amanda!