After graduating from Allegheny College with a neuroscience major and values, ethics, and social action minor, Amanda Hazer ’10 thought she knew what her next step would be— to become a physician. It didn’t take more than a few weeks to realize medical school wasn’t where she wanted to be. Today, she owns Amanda Hazer Consulting, which helps coach current and former women athletes transitioning beyond playing professional sports.
“It’s been an incredible journey and one that my education at Allegheny equipped me to handle. I always try to find a balance of piquing my curiosity with new challenges while pairing that with having an impact on the communities in which I live,” says Hazer.
Hazer earned her master’s of business administration from Carnegie Mellon University and worked for over a decade in healthcare administration between start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, including PricewaterhouseCoopers and Oscar Health.
After her time in the corporate world, she took a step back to be involved with a local women’s shelter, inspiring her to work with women in transition.
“I grew up playing sports. I played soccer and ran track. I’ve always been a huge fan of women’s sports,” says Hazer. “What feels rewarding now is talking to these women when maybe they don’t feel so confident, or they don’t feel that they’re ready for a change, and being able to support them.”
Hazer mentions that her neuroscience background helped fuel her curiosity about how people make decisions and helped her better adapt to challenges. She also remarks that her involvement with the Bonner Program helped her focus on a greater purpose.
“I was a Bonner Scholar at Allegheny, and I think that experience alongside my academic one opened my eyes to experiencing life through other people’s perspective,” says Hazer. “Allegheny was able to show me academic rigor alongside social justice and advocacy in a community setting.
Hazer says, “Without my experiences at Allegheny, I’m sure my journey would still be exciting, but I feel a sense of capability and confidence stepping into each new chapter- even if it starts out scary, it’s always a fun ride!”
