Meet Dr. Amanda Sterk | College Advisor, Author and Presenter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Amanda Sterk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Amanda, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

Starting a business often springs from a desire to fill a gap or meet a need that you’ve identified. For me, it all began with a deep passion for education and the belief that knowledge truly empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their college and career path. I realized that not every high school student has equal access to the tools and resources necessary for success during this crucial high school to college transition. While I did not start with owning a business in mind, I sought to fill a gap of information my own college-going students had, and quickly realized the student curriculum I was producing would be valuable for all students.

Being an educator gave me a firsthand view of the hurdles students and families face when navigating this journey. Witnessing this need for guidance and support inspired me to develop a resource that simplifies critical information, making it accessible and easy to understand for everyone. College UnMazed emerged from this vision, offering a student workbook and curriculum designed to assist students on this intricate path. Moreover, working one-on-one with students allowed me to tailor guidance to their unique needs, ensuring a more personalized approach.

Essentially, my motivation stemmed from the belief that everyone deserves a fair chance of success, especially during such a significant phase of life. I aimed to break down barriers by providing comprehensive and practical tools, enabling students and families to confidently navigate the complexities of the high school to college transition with success and ease. College UnMazed has grown from a simple student workbook to comprehensive tools and programming that can help families answer questions like: What is my career path? How can we afford post-secondary education? What resources are there for me to understand which college and degree is best for my future? How do I ensure that I not only attend college, but succeed once there? Every day we continue to produce amazing, high quality content to keep students, parents, and educational organizations aligned and communicating the need for positive college and career readiness and informed college decision making.

Materials include:
College UnMazed: College Planning in a Box
College UnMazed: Your Guide to Navigate the High School to College Maze
College UnMazed: Your Guide to Dual Enrollment
College UnMazed: School Curriculum in a Box

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Since I was in middle school, I always knew I wanted to be a school counselor, as I had a counselor who had a profound impact on my friends and myself. I envisioned myself helping students with both their emotional needs and helping them achieve their academic goals.

Combining my love of travel and education, my husband and I spent many of our years teaching abroad in international schools. While earning my masters in counseling and my doctorate in education, I began looking at how I could improve the educational system as a whole, particularly, how I could break down critical information my students needed for their success. I received a job at an early college/collegiate high school in Fort Myers, where I was helping students earn not only their high school diploma but their Associate of Arts degree. I took on the role of a director of a large dual enrollment program that served over 3,200 students in 5 counties. Working within large educational systems can often be difficult to make real change, so I found that helping students navigate these waters is where I could really make a difference.

Combining my love of synthesizing information and writing, I began blogging about the high school to college process to help my own students. I soon realized I was building a strong curriculum to help all students through the process. I partnered with the best researchers and academics on college and career readiness and launched College UnMazed. This past year, I formally took on a role leading a College & Career Advising program through Method Learning, and launched the College UnMazed: College Planning in a Box. With both areas, I am continuing to support families through the high school to college process with reduced stress and more success!
While I never imagined
all I would be doing today, and still living out my middle school career goals, I am proud of all the things I have done along the way and how I have used my talents to help students have the life they imagine.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being originally from Des Moines, Iowa and living internationally, I find great peace and restoration at the water. When I need time to focus and reconnect with who I am and the world around me, you will find me at the water. Whether it will be on a paddle board ride through the mangroves of Bunch Beach or through the limestone inlets of the Caloosahatchee River or watching the dolphins on the beaches of Captiva, I would create a SW Florida itinerary that includes the beautiful waterways that surround us.

We would hit up the local taco places, like Taco Mix on Bonita Beach Road or downtown Fort Myers listening to the live bands and going to the Art Walk.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Throughout my own journey, both personally and professionally, I have sought out other people who have a desire to help students achieve their dreams. I found a group of men and women dedicated to strengthening our educational systems through programs like FutureMakers, a local college access network in SW Florida. Through this organization I met people like Kelly Thawley, from the Lee County School District and Claribel Bocanegra, founder of Gemstones in the Making, both who are amazing women with big dreams and even bigger grit and determination! Their drive and passion for supporting our youth inspire me every day to keep working hard to give students the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Website: www.collegeunmazed.com

Instagram: @collegeunmazed

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandasterk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/collegeunmazed/

Youtube: @collegeunmazed