As graduation approaches, Amanda Maehara ’10, a psychology major and classics minor from Honolulu, cannot help but feel excited.
“I will miss my friends and being a part of the Scripps community, but I think I am ready to go out into the world and make a difference,” says Amanda. “For the next two years I will be a Teach for America corps member, teaching elementary school on a Native American reservation in South Dakota. I am very much looking forward to the challenge!”
Although initially skeptical about applying to a women’s college, Amanda ended up applying early to Scripps for merit scholarship consideration because she was intrigued by the idea of the Claremont Consortium. “Once I visited Scripps for Scholars’ Weekend, I fell in love with the beautiful campus, the professors, and the tight-knit community. From that moment on, I knew that Scripps was the right choice for me.”
Amanda’s time at Scripps has given her the opportunity to explore her passions for classics and psychology. Ultimately, the focus of social and developmental psychology won her over. In a “Psychology of Work and Family” course, she became interested in how “non-traditional” families are marginalized in current society.
“The purpose of my thesis, ‘College Students’ Attitudes toward Gay, Lesbian, and Single Parenting,'” explains Amanda, “was to compare students’ attitudes toward both homosexual and single-parent families in terms of quality of parenting. The results imply that, although college students may have more positive views of gay and lesbian parenting styles, they would be unlikely to turn these beliefs into actions [such as equal custody awards]. The findings of this study have several implications for future social change regarding adoption laws and equality training.”
Looking forward to presenting her thesis before the Scripps community on Capstone Day, Amanda hopes “it will encourage people to analyze their own views and attitudes toward gay, lesbian, and single parent families. It was extremely exciting to realize that my results were significant and could be applied to the real world.”
Amanda’s thesis advisor, Amy Marcus-Newhall, calls Amanda “the epitome of a Scripps student. She is currently a Resident Adviser, has served as an Asian American Sponsor, been a peer mentor, helped plan and implement New Student Orientation, volunteered for the Claremont After School Program, and served as co-president of the Hawaiian Club. Amanda has made a truly significant difference at Scripps College.”
As she reflects back on her education, Amanda makes the connection between her academic and personal growth at Scripps and her future plans and goals.
“Topping the list of my best academic experiences here at Scripps? Taking Amy Marcus-Newhall’s ‘When Good People Do Bad Things’ psychology class,” Amanda says. “It made me re-think the concepts of good and evil and consider my personal role in the fight against society’s current injustices. In particular, the class inspired me to join Teach for America, a program that aims to end educational inequality and close the achievement gap among students in low-income neighborhoods.”