The Civil Service Council will feature a civil service employee at Illinois State University each month to highlight an exceptional colleague and the outstanding work being done on campus! This month get a chance to learn about and applaud Amanda Dingler of the School of Teaching and Learning.
What is your position on campus and how long have you been with the university?
I am currently the assistant to the associate director of scheduling and contractual personnel in the School of Teaching and Learning (TCH). TCH is the department that licenses early childhood, elementary, and middle level teacher candidates.
In this role, I assist with the department course schedule and NTT hiring process, among other things. I have been in this position since January 2018. I began working at the University in August 2016 in The Cecilia J. Lauby Teacher Education Center.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
I find it rewarding to be of assistance to our faculty and students. The TCH faculty are so committed to ensuring that our teacher candidates are getting the best teacher preparation possible. I also greatly appreciate all the different organizations on campus that provide opportunity to further assist our students and contribute to a greater campus experience for all.
What are your hobbies or favorite past-time?
My hobbies including reading, listening to music, watching a wide variety of films and shows, and spending time with my family. I also enjoy playing the role-playing game Pathfinder with friends and my children. I have also been actively becoming more involved with campus through my involvement with the clerical union AFSCME Local 3236, the Association of Black Academic Employees (ABAE), and some of the campus volunteer opportunities such as assisting with Move In.
What else would you like others to know about you or your time at ISU?
I am an alum of ISU, transferring here after spending my first two years of undergrad at Howard University (the real HU!). I have an insane love for Prince and the TV show Psych (yes, I am a Psych-o).
If you would like to share with us, please tell us how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected your work at ISU?
I have been fortunate to work from home since COVID-19 forced the initial stay-at-home order in March of 2019. I have enjoyed the higher productivity that has resulted from this. The pandemic has made me even more appreciative of and grateful for the family, friends, and job that I have.
More about Amanda from Alan Bates, Chair of the School of Teaching and Learning:
I had the pleasure of hiring Amanda in 2018 to be a part of the School of Teaching and Learning and she has been a great addition to our team. She is vital to supporting our course scheduling and hiring processes and has assisted with the transition of two new associate directors of scheduling and a budget manager. She is great at offering ways to streamline processes and is always willing to take on and learn new tasks. She is also very cognizant of how her job duties affect others outside of our School, such as requesting rooms and processing textbook orders, and strives to be thoughtful and timely when completing those tasks. In addition, she is active in the campus community, attending various on-campus organization meetings, participating in professional development opportunities, and serving in various roles for the clerical union.
Amanda is fully committed to the success of our School and goes to great lengths to meet faculty and students’ needs. She assists others when needed and her willingness to do so is appreciated by everyone and demonstrates her dedication to the School and being a contributing part of our team. She truly adds to our great and welcoming office environment and we are so appreciative to have her in TCH!
