Office Hours with John Gardner
Drawing from personal experiences as a first-gen student, Haney-Cech works to promote access and support students navigating the higher education system. Discusses the innovative program PioPREP Academy bridge program, and the challenges it faced during the pandemic.
Guest Bio
For nearly a decade, Amanda worked in TRiO programs, spending a year with Talent Search and the next nine leading an Upward Bound project. In 2008, she joined the staff at Marietta College directing the Academic Resource Center (ARC). As the Director of the ARC, Amanda has led the center in tremendous growth including such activities as developing the PioPREP Academy bridge program, the Campus Food Pantry, and co-advising the Tri-Alpha first-generation national honor society to name a few. Under her direction, the ARC has achieved and renewed national certification from the College Learning Center Association’s (CRLA) International Tutor Training Program Certification team. In 2021, The ARC was named the National College Learning Center Association (NCLCA) Frank Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award winner for four-year institutions. Amanda has been recognized for her outstanding service at Marietta College, receiving honors for numerous areas of service. She was recently named the Distinguished Alumna of the year by Washington State Community College for outstanding professional achievement. In addition to her role in the ARC, Ms. Haney-Cech teaches First Year Experience (FYE) courses, a gender studies course, and the PIO 101 and 102 Pio Pathway courses.
Amanda is highly active both on campus and off, working with myriad committees and organizations that promote student success and positive staff engagement. Amanda has been active in promoting academic success and the value of the learning center profession on the state and national level as well. She has served on the board of directors for the Association for the Coaching and Tutoring Profession (formerly ATP), Ohio TRiO (formerly OAEOPP), and most recently, the Ohio College Learning Center Association (OCLCA) where she was engaged with the founding board for the NCLCA affiliate. Amanda has presented numerous conference workshops over the past 20 years and was the featured keynote speaker at the New York College Learning Skills Association annual conference in November of 2021.
