Amy McDonald and Maggie A.A. Degree/ University Transfer Florida Community College, Class of 2008

Psyched Up for Success

Amy McDonald
Florida Community College, Class of 2008

Twenty years after high school, Amy McDonald wasn’t quite sure academic success would ever be in the cards for her. “I didn’t really learn to read well until I was almost in high school,” said the FCCJ psychology major. “I grew up thinking I was ‘the dumb kid,’ and that’s really hard to shake. I didn’t really know I could succeed until I came to FCCJ. It wasn’t until the last few semesters that I realized I’m not ‘the dumb kid’ after all.”

That’s an understatement. Amy has been on the President’s List every semester she’s been at FCCJ. She won the Florida Junior/Community College Student Government Association (FJCCSGA) District IV Academic Excellence Award. She won a national scholarship sponsored by Pfizer. She is a member of the English Honor Society, and is president of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society. Yet, all that is just the start of what Amy has accomplished.

Determined to eventually earn a doctorate degree in psychology, Amy has shrugged off obstacles that others might find insurmountable. A seizure disorder is just one of them. (You may know Amy by her service dog, Maggie, who accompanies her around campus.) She is also busy being mother to her 13-year-old autistic son, the light of her life. Yes, she has a lot on her plate. And she welcomes it.

“There are so many people who think that when you have a disability, it’s over, that you can’t do anything,” Amy said. “I wasn’t willing to accept that. So I spend my time working on things I was too sick to do earlier in my life. But now I know I can really get them done.”

It hasn’t been easy. “I had to take a year off from FCCJ because my insurance got messed up, and my medication was withheld. Everyone thought, ‘That’s it; she’s going to be done with school.’ But I came right back, and I’m still on the President’s List!”

Somehow, Amy has also found time to serve in student government and as a Student Ambassador. Outside school, she is involved in the Florida Service Dogs organization, and serves the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts Troop 617 as Cub Master, committee member and merit-badge counselor. She is also active in community service through Phi Theta Kappa and her church.

Amy chose FCCJ for its welcoming atmosphere. She thought she would feel at home among its many other nontraditional students. “FCCJ has done so much for me. The campus is laid out like a big circle, and I get the feeling that FCCJ is just a big hug all around you. People are so nice and so understanding. I had people all around me telling me that I was going to be fine. It’s a very accepting atmosphere. The faculty, the activities, the facilities—everything here is for the students. The classes are so small, the teachers really get to know you.”

Even with all she has accomplished, Amy still has many goals. “My big goal is to have a private psychology practice, working with traumatized children and their families,” she said. “Life took many turns for me that I didn’t really have a choice in, but I always knew I wanted to help kids.” If the past is any indication, Amy’s potential for even greater success is spectacular.