Amanda Roberts – Alumni Profile
Amanda Roberts – Fergus Falls, MN
Physical Therapist Assistant, Class of 2015
Why did you choose to attend Lake Area Tech? While I was attending the University of South Dakota, I knew I wanted to continue my education in the Physical Therapy field. I had a great advisor at USD that mentioned the PTA program at Lake Area Tech and after looking up the school online I decided to book a tour. I fell in love with the smaller campus and class sizes and really loved the idea of having a program and courses that were geared towards exactly what I was wanting to do for a job right out of school.
Where are you employed today? Lake Region Healthcare
When was the last time you visited Lake Area Tech? 2016
What was your favorite thing about Lake Area Tech? I had the honor of being the Student Voice President for two years and was able to be part of some great fundraisers and student/community collaborations. It was fun getting to work along side the different programs and really get a sense of what all Lake Area had to offer for programs. It was also fun getting the honor to meet the President of the United States and give a speech to my graduating class. I also loved the smaller school size and that teachers and faculty knew who you were and would say hi to you in the hallways. There was always something fun for the students to do, especially around the holidays and finals, so you didn’t feel so stressed and isolated.
What made you want to continue your education? I wanted to make a difference in patients’ lives by helping them in the healthcare field. I knew that I wanted to go into the Physical Therapy field but wasn’t really sure where to go and after four years at the University of South Dakota I was able to find the great program at Lake Area Tech and fell in love.
What was the biggest lesson you learned at Lake Area Tech? I learned that education is not always a four-year degree at a big four-year school. You can succeed and have a good career at a two-year institute and be able to get out into the workforce quicker. I also learned and thrived having the smaller class sizes and having the different activities and fundraisers to be apart of.
What advice would you give a current Lake Area Tech student? Get involved in the activities around school and get to know your classmates. You’ll build some long lasting relationships and will continue to enjoy your time while at school. And deep breathe, when you get stressed out turn to your classmates and teachers as well as faculty members of the school. They all are there to help you succeed.
What makes you proud to be an Alumni of Lake Area Tech? I love telling people about how successful Lake Area Tech is and that we are an Aspen Institute top college award winner. I also love to talk about the many different programs that are available for potential students and that the placement rating at graduation is so high. I’m incredibly proud to say I graduated from Lake Area Tech and that I was in the graduating class that President Obama came to speak at.
What advice can you give to Lake Area Tech students that will be entering the workforce? Use your instructors and the school as a resource if you have any questions. They can help with finding jobs and getting ready to go out and apply for jobs. What’s great about Lake Area Tech is most employers around the area are excited and ready for you to graduate because they have worked so closely with Lake Area Tech and know that they will be getting good quality future employees. Use the job fairs and job shadowing activities to promote yourself and have confidence in yourself that you are the right person for that job.
