“I feel it’s so important to give back to your university because as my mother and grandfather always said: you want to make your next generation better and stronger. I had the best four years of my life at Fairfield and I want the next generation of Stags to have it even better than I did.” Along with giving back, hard work has been lifestyle habit for Amanda Keller ‘13.
The alumna and former field hockey standout was a force to be reckoned with before she set foot on ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´’s campus. As a freshman at Garden City High School in Garden City, New York, she made both her field hockey and lacrosse varsity teams. As a high school senior, Keller earned seven state championship titles: three in field hockey and four in lacrosse. As a student-athlete at Fairfield, Keller played midfield for Fairfield field hockey and saw playing time during all four years.
“I chose Fairfield because of its incredible reputation and the positive feedback from countless alumni that lived in my town. They always had a great reputation, and people – either alumni or someone who knew an alum – always had wonderful things to say about Fairfield. They have a strong alumni program and that was important to me.”
After Keller received a degree in Communication with a minor in Marketing, the former Stag took her talents to New York City where she began her career in real estate. “After moving to New York I went into Commercial Real Estate and currently work for SCG Retail, a division of The Shopping Center Group. I am responsible for tenant representation; specifically I work on the leasing for Starbucks in Manhattan. I think it’s important for recent grads to understand that it’s okay not to know what you really want to do. You will be surprised how many people start something that they thought they would love and wind up hating it. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you will figure it out.”
Although it’s only been a few years since Keller graduated, she had a few gems of wisdom to share with student-athletes just beginning their undergraduate career: “What you are doing takes a lot of hard work and dedication. If it was easy, then everybody would be doing it. With that being said, try to enjoy every second of being in college. It will not be easy to graduate and be on your own; it will take some time to adjust to the new lifestyle. Make sure you stay involved and reach out to alumni with questions, we are here to help.”
When she’s not working, Amanda enjoys spending time with family and friends, and also finds time to stay physically fit and run. Like many, she also understands that nobody gets to where they are today without the encouragement and assistance of others: “The most influential person in my life is without a doubt my mother. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. My head coach Jackie Kane is somebody I will always admire. She dedicated so much to us and she was always there to help and wanted the best for you.”
