Amanda Asare of Brentwood, N.Y., a Business – Healthcare Management major at Mount Saint Mary College, secured a job at the Arc Greater Hudson Valley. She will graduate on Saturday, May 17.
When Amanda Asare of Brentwood, N.Y. walks across the Mount Saint Mary College Commencement stage on Saturday, May 17, she’ll be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management and a job lined up at the Arc Greater Hudson Valley in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Asare will be jumping into her new role at the Arc immediately, beginning her orientation as a Respite Coordinator on Monday, May 19. She credits the Mount’s Career Center with helping her to jumpstart her profession. It was at the center’s recent job fair that Asare connected with the Arc.
“I am very grateful for this new opportunity and I thank God for this new great thing he has done for me,” said Asare. “Thank you to the Career Center and the Mount for always bringing great things on campus that open great doors to students, such as the job fair. I’m grateful.”
Asare came to the United States from Ghana, Africa in September of 2017. She started high school that same month with very little time to acclimate herself to her new surroundings, but it wasn’t a problem for the industrious student.
“Moving to America was a dream I’d always had,” she explained. “Back home, when everybody hears about America, they hear it’s full of opportunities. Before coming here, I had already planned out my first day of school; to be focused, work hard in classes, and be involved.”
She added, “I knew what I came here for and I was ready.”
That same mix of planning and determination extended to her career choice, which had become clear to Asare by the time she completed high school.
“Healthcare was something I always wanted to be part of,” Asare noted. “Being part of healthcare management helps with structuring things, making sure that the patient gets great service.”
The last four years have been busy for Asare, who certainly made the most of her college experience. She served as Class President in the Student Government Association (SGA) from her freshman to her senior year; president of both the Women’s Empowerment and the Healthcare Management student organizations on campus; treasurer of the Black Student Union; a resident assistant; program coordinator for both the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) at the Mount; and more. The full list of Asare’s accomplishments is simply too long to publish.
It was one of her first roles at the Mount, as Freshman Class President, that really helped Asare to see the value in being a leader.
“Being there for the students, being part of student life and engagement, it really helped me grow – like planting a seed, and watching me grow,” she said.
As one might imagine, Asare’s enthusiasm and work ethic have caught the attention of those around her. In the last month alone, she earned four Student Leader Awards for Club President of the Year and her work in SGA; as well as the prestigious Mount Saint Mary College Award, which is given to a senior who has maintained a high standard of academic performance and a spirit of cooperation, leadership, and service.
With graduation and a new job both on the horizon, Asare said that she’s pleased with how her college experience turned out. From the start, she was so sure the Mount was right for her that Asare confirmed her intent to attend before she had even seen the college in-person.
Turns out that was the right call, she explained.
“When it comes to the Mount, it’s very dear to me,” Asare said. “I applied to a lot of colleges, and the Mount was the one that really, really stood out to me. Every person I met was very kind, and I saw them as somebody who cared, somebody who had passion for their students. They really did care and these four years have been great.”