Amanda Geiger, Senior Economic Education Specialist with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, is a 2017 graduate of the Lerner College’s MAEEE program whose career reflects the reach of economic education beyond the classroom. Through MAEEE, she developed the expertise and confidence to serve as a trusted resource in the field, contributing to state standards review work and national initiatives such as FRE.org. Geiger credits the program’s network and experiences for helping her expand opportunities and impact in economic education.
What is your job title and name of school, district, or organization?
Senior Economic Education Specialist with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
What exciting news or accomplishments have you been a part of?
I am currently serving as the economic content specialist for the Kentucky Commonwealth Social Studies standards review and am part of the team that launched the updated and improved FRE.org. Additionally, I was recently featured in the Your Fed Your Voice series.
Why is this news valuable to your colleagues or educators considering the MAEEE program?
I think it demonstrates that there are valuable ways to serve educators in our communities and beyond the classroom. I think it also highlights how valuable classroom experience can be in advocating for and supporting education initiatives.
What did you learn through your MAEEE experience that you wouldn’t have learned anywhere else?
The MAEEE program is uniquely positioned to help you prepare to become a trusted resource in economic education, whether that is in your own school/district or in other roles supporting economic education. There is great value in your perspective as an economic educator.
Describe an important connection you have made through your graduate program (personal, professional, peers, mentors, professors, etc.)
The job I currently hold I heard about through the alumni network. My degree provided me with the preparation I needed to seize opportunities when they presented themselves. I felt confident that I had a valuable perspective and could be an asset in efforts to improve economic education. I continue to find opportunities to connect with people I met during or were in the MAEEE program for insight, perspective and partnership on projects. Some of my dearest friends were made in this program and I count them as some of my greatest blessings.
What other opportunities has the MAEEE degree provided you?
It provided me an opportunity to be exposed to many people doing the work of economic education in many ways. The intentional exposure to so many different ideas and programs sparked my own creativity and desire to improve my economic education practice.
If you were to describe your classmates in one word, what would that be?
Dedicated!
Fill in this sentence: “The MAEEE graduate program helped me become…”
A trusted resource in economic education.
What piece(s) of advice would you give to current MAEEE students or prospective applicants?
The possibilities are limitless. This degree is a step in a larger journey to where you want to go in your career. Soak in the opportunities and take advantage of them even if they are outside of your comfort zone. You never know when you may discover a connection or new skill that leads to somewhere you haven’t even imagined yet.