Multiple degrees, 14 years in various job roles and a love affair with Ultimate Frisbee –  Amanda has a long history with Macquarie University.

It began with undergraduate studies when she completed her Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts (Japanese) in the early 2000s, and then continued with postgraduate studies (Master of Higher Education – Learning and Teaching) after she returned to work here in 2008.

Amanda has since enjoyed a number of different roles including, Internship Program Coordinator with Macquarie International, Learning Technologies Training Coordinator for the iLearn implementation and Operations Manager Learning Technologies. Amanda is currently the Learning Enhancement Manager for PVC Learning and Teaching.

Macquarie is also responsible for her discovering her sporting passion – Ultimate Frisbee! Amanda first started playing back in her undergraduate days, and represented Australia with the national team in the World Ultimate Frisbee Championships 2012, taking home a silver medal.

Ten years on she continues to play, currently for local club Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Blaze and is training for the Australian Ultimate Frisbee Championships in April.

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1. Something you’d like staff to know about
The Learning Enhancement team provides learning and teaching support across the university. We have recently developed a set of MQ Online Learning Standards and a university-wide iLearn Template in response to student feedback about improving the consistency of their online learning experience. From S1 2022, all iLearn units should be following the iLearn template and there is support available if you need help with this – ilearn.help@mq.edu.au

2. What you need to do your best work
My team! There is an amazing depth of knowledge and skills within my team. When there is a big workload or project, everyone just works together and gets it done!

3. The coolest bit of equipment you use in your work, and what it does
iLearn! I love working behind the scenes of something that most students and staff interact with and rely on for their learning and teaching – iLearn has been especially important during the lockdown periods.

4. Something people usually ask you when they find out what you do for living
‘Oh, you work at Macquarie Uni? The parking there is terrible, can you do something about it?’ (pre-Covid of course)

Editor’s note: I get this too. However, I find it is usually people who don’t have experience parking at any of the other Sydney-based universities! (I think we have it pretty good.)

5. Something you’ve read recently that has had an impact on you
I listened to a podcast (don’t have time to read with two young kids!) on a book called Stolen Focus by Johann Hari. It was fascinating to realise how the many factors in our current lifestyle make it incredibly difficult to find deep focus without distraction (and what you can try and do about it!)

6. A favourite photo from your camera roll
I studied Japanese during my undergraduate studies and was lucky enough to live in Japan on exchange for a year. I have always loved Japan and been back many times to visit friends, including this picture when we took my son.

7. The first person you go to for advice (and why)
My husband – he always provides perspective and a nice blunt answer of what he would say/do (even if it might not be appropriate for a university workplace setting!)

8. A personal quality you value in others
Persistence and patience. My team provide university-wide learning and teaching support and iLearn help. This often requires a great deal of patience and persistence to understand problems and design solutions. 

9. Something you’re trying to do differently in 2022
a) Be less anxious and stressed at work. We have all been under incredible pressure at work over the past two years with Covid-related challenges and restructures. Whilst these challenges remain in 2022, I am hoping to get on top of the anxiety and stress about it.
b) Play more frisbee!

10. I’m happiest when…
I am with my family doing something adventurous like camping or hiking. Or out on the field playing my favourite sport, Ultimate Frisbee.

Amanda’s 20-year love affair with Ultimate Frisbee has finally rubbed off on her iLearn support staff colleagues (pictured here). You can sometimes spot a casual game going on around campus at lunch time. Amanda says anyone else is always welcome to join them.

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Editor’s note: It’s been a long time between drinks, but Amanda and her Ultimate Frisbee achievements have been featured in our ‘Staff News’ before. Jump in the time machine and check out this August 2012 edition of Staff News (page 4).