Amanda Muniz, 22, is a graduate of Daemen University where she obtained a degree in Psychology. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at National Louis University and serves in two different positions at CARA: as a Bridge Coach at The Marie Curie School and as an intern with the College Bridge Team. Amanda is one of the few graduate students to serve as a Bridge Coach, and she recently sat down with a CARA team member to discuss her experiences as both a coach and intern in the program.
Share about your experience being a Bridge Coach and then a Bridge Intern.
When I first started at CARA as a Bridge Coach, I was already in the middle of my first year as a grad student. Having to learn difficult information like that of the FAFSA and how to communicate it with high school students that either hadn’t started the process or didn’t know anything about it, was tough. The information I learned in training was helpful but it wasn’t until I actually applied what I learned while working one-on-one with students that I felt more comfortable.
When I got the opportunity to become a Bridge Intern, I got to see more behind the scenes of how CARA prepares Bridge Coaches to implement the information they learn at their sites. As a Bridge Intern, my job is to help the Bridge Team in finding ways to help better support the Bridge Coaches.
As a Bridge Coach and Bridge Program Intern, I am able to give pointers to the Bridge Team. Sometimes my ideas encourage them to update the training for Bridge Coaches based on my experience working with both high school students and the college students who are working with them.
What are some postsecondary trends are you noticing at your site/ what are you hearing from students?
Some of the students I work with are questioning whether college is the right path for them. Those that do want to go to college have interests in becoming fashion designers, nurses, entrepreneurs but are having trouble deciding what they want to study so I’ve tried to just offer them resources to explore those interests. This year, with a lot of colleges putting off acceptances, I’ve also noticed that a lot of students are experiencing anxiety as they wait for their financial aid so that they can make decisions on where they want to go.
How does being a peer leader leave a positive impact on students, other peer leaders and your professional development?
Being a peer leader has a positive impact on students because they find comfort in having someone close in age to guide them or to be like the big sister/brother they can count on and that offers them a sense of friendship and understanding. For students who are Peer Leaders, I think the role has impacted them by giving them a voice to create changes. I find that having me as the Bridge Intern helps them feel comfortable in sharing ideas for how we can improve training and the support we are giving students. As for my professional development, this role has helped me become a leader and an advocate for other peer leaders and students. It’s also helped me gain confidence which I’m going to need as a future counselor.