Communication is the Key
Public speaking is a great fear for many people. Amanda Buzzell hopes she can help alleviate some of those fears.
In her role as an adjunct professor at Midland, Amanda aims to help students conquer the perils of public speaking through her Fundamentals of Oral Communication class. “As someone who teaches public speaking, I understand that students probably aren’t too excited about taking my classes. But I see so much value in helping students develop their communication skills that they will use no matter what profession they end up in. Just being a small part of a student’s development for their future is what keeps me coming back each semester.”
As an owner of her own marketing consulting business for the past six years, Amanda understands the importance of communication skills on a daily basis. “My background and education definitely helps as I am often teaching my clients how to market themselves and their business.”
Her desire to be an educator stems from her days as a graduate student. “I really fell in love with teaching when I was in graduate school. I was also fortunate to have some amazing teachers growing up and professors in college who truly cared for their students and went above and beyond for them. I also come from a family full of educators and my grandparents really encouraged me to do my best in school and pursue my graduate degree.”
Amanda believes Midland has been the ideal institution to share her love of education with others. “I love the personalized education students receive here. As someone who was born and raised in a small town, and attended a small private college, Midland feels like home to me.”
Along with her marketing consulting business, Amanda has also put her imprint on another business venture. “I own a business called Neat-Dough that sells playdough for kids. I never intended for it to turn into the business it is today, but I’m looking forward to growing it even more over the next couple of years.”
When not running her businesses, Amanda and her husband Jason (also an adjunct at Midland) like spending time with their two children, usually involving some form of watercraft, be it a boat, kayak, or paddleboard.
Getting to know Amanda Buzzell
Snack that you can’t resist: Starbucks! Does that count as a snack? For me, it’s a food group!
When flipping channels, I’ll always stop to watch this: I don’t watch a lot of TV. There are a couple of Netflix series I’ve watched recently – Bridgerton, The Crown, Emily in Paris, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
What artist dominates your playlist? I have quite the eclectic playlist – everything from Eminem (a favorite right now) to country to show tunes. It just depends on my mood.
Something people might not know about you: I studied abroad for a semester in the Czech Republic during my undergraduate studies. The November before I was supposed to graduate in May, I started freaking out about graduating. I noticed an email talking about a study abroad opportunity, but the deadline to apply was two days later. I gathered all the materials I needed for my application and left for the Czech Republic a couple of months later. It was such an amazing experience and I was able to travel to places I never imagined I would go. I came back after my semester abroad and graduated with my degree in December!
What is your ideal vacation? Definitely a beach vacation. There’s just something about the ocean and the beach that brings calm to me.
What is your most-used emoji? 🤣
