NEC 2024 Interview with Ellen Amarante

0:09Hello. I'm Michele Drennen with Divine Mercy University in the alumni relations area. Had the joy while being here at the National Eucharistic Congress and wanting running into one of our current students, Ellen Amarante. And we're gonna ask her some questions about her journey so far. And so, I'm looking forward to her feelings and her thoughts, and her first few classes. Welcome. Thank you, Maricel. So tell me a little bit about what you're doing now in your career and what motivated you to go forward and take another degree. It's a big question. Well, I will I will say that I'm an educator by trade. I've always been an educator. Taught in public school, went to higher ed, and helped the next generation of teachers and forming them.

0:57But as I was working in higher ed, I was seeing so many students who were struggling. And I would sit in my office with them, and they'd pour out their heart. And I was I don't know the answers. I don't know how to connect with them. I see what the problem is, but I don't know how to present a solution. I can give them my heart, and I can give them what I think, but I also can't share about God because this is a private university. So how do I do that? How can I give them a taste of what I believe and what I know to be true about the human person? Like, how can I do that? And I just kinda filed that away in the back of my mind. And then it was it was later on. It was actually when I was randomly speaking about the need for for wellness, for mental wellness in our world that I thought, well, maybe maybe I can do something about that.

1:49So I did the research as as any as any good academic would do. Right? You gotta do the research. And I found DMU, and I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful that I did. So as soon as I saw it, I online searching. So the old Google worked again. Right? So I did find it online. I compared it to other programs. But as soon as I saw the meta model, as soon as I'm like, wait. Wait. Wait. They have an entire framework of how they see the human person and they're and we have classes in philosophy? You know, what's up with that? So as soon as as soon as I saw that, I knew that this was the place for me. So I know that when you work full time Yes. Got to be a little bit challenging. Correct. How have you managed to be able to be successful in the degree and work?

2:34What kind of, I know you have a very supportive husband who's a deacon, so that helps. But what were some of those kinds of things that you had to discipline yourself to do so far to do well in the program? Well, it didn't hurt that before I was working with future teachers at higher ed, I was teaching time management. So, you know, the I learned some of the tricks of the trade. But I was I was starting at DMU as full time, and that's what I really wanted to do. I wanted to get full time, see this through, get working on my on my counseling career. God sometimes has other plans for us. So during the full time work, that was, you know, that was my full focus. I was doing all of that. We needed to move, and that move necessitated a job.

3:18So I actually went back to my first love of education, became a principal, and needed to then back off to part time. So I appreciate that about DMU too. It's very flexible. They understand the the workings of the human person. Imagine that. And what we need and how important it is to have that balance. So now in full time work and coursework, you do need to be very careful about how you balance your time. There's not a lot of free time, but you still have to take time to recreate. You still have to take time to pray. When you're busy, you have to pray twice as much. That's that's what we need to do. But it's really it's really about prioritizing and sometimes recognizing the fact that more isn't better.

4:02So you have to really focus on what's most important to focus on, give that your full attention, do the best of your ability, get the main gist of something, and keep going. But that's what I could say. I could do a podcast on that time management system. That's great to do that. Happy to do that. So ding, ding, ding. Because that I didn't know that's what you did before. So I'd like to ask you, and this is just a a feeling. How do you think that the the bridges that can be built between science and religion, health care, and pastoral care Oh. Worked so efficiently in the bounds of divine mercy universe. Oh my goodness. You went for the the big one. I did. Well okay. So I'm a conduit to the faith.

4:43So as I was coming in, I found the theology of the body. And that really resonated with me because there was this educational component that snagged me right away. Like, we're learning about, you know, this is explicit instruction. We're all human persons, but do we know what that means? And have we taken that apart to understand what this purpose is for? Why why do we have this body? So I saw a health care connection there as well as an education, and then there's, of course, the the work of the mind. And I think DMU has taken that to the next level by introducing the theology, the philosophy, and the psychology into the CCMP. So, you know, I think that there's no way to separate any of what you said.

5:33There's no way to separate our health care from our belief system, from who we are as as human persons because it's all about integration. Yeah. So what is your goal and what you will do with this degree once you're all completed? Do you have a a dream job or just tell me about what you think this is gonna do in your journey? This is the dream job that's kind of been just in my mind, and I'm about to announce it. I would very much like to work with our diocese, and I hope I hope the bishop will consider that. I would love to work in our diocese to to work with our Catholic school educators. You know, being in Catholic education, our teachers are so dedicated, and they are so mission forward, But this is not an area where they're getting proper pay, they're working ridiculously long hours, and all with this heart of mission, but they're being depleted.

6:30And so, my heart is with them, and I rather than be their evaluator and then telling them what to do all the time, I'd rather minister to their souls. And I try to do that as a principle too, but they need they need that because if they cannot be balanced and healthy mentally, how are they going to help our children who desperately need that as well? And you have that quality of mentoring with with caring and it it comes through and exudes every word you say. So are there any questions that I haven't asked you that you kinda wish I did or anything else that you'd like to share? That's a good question. Oh, wow. You must have taken a few classes too. Have I done have I addressed all of your needs today?

7:12You know, I think that for anyone considering, I don't know who the exact audience will be, but for anyone considering DMU, I would say you learn so much about yourself. You learn so much about how your mind works and and how the past and the present will are working together to form your future. You can't go wrong. Even if even if it never turns into a a career of any kind, you learn so much about who you are, who you are called to be, your vocation, your trifold vocation. Thank you, doctor Titus. That you just you find that you are becoming who you are meant to be. Such a common thread on that question that everybody says, you know, I found out more about me. Yes. I can't thank you enough for your gift of time today.

8:00Oh my goodness. It's been a pleasure to seeing your graduation and continuing to be in touch with you, and thanks so much. We're so glad to have you as a future alumni. Thank you. You're welcome.