Home - Amanda Rockinson

Navigating the Doctoral Journey: A Handbook of Strategies for Success

A practical, cross-discipline handbook for successfully navigating the doctoral process – from initial program selection to the final dissertation defense and preparing for the faculty interview.

Order Now

Navigating the Peer Mentoring Relationship

Navigating the Peer Mentoring Relationship: A Handbook for Women and Other Underrepresented Populations in STEM is a practical handbook for successfully navigating the peer mentoring process.

Order Now

About Amanda

Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw, PhD, EdD, LPC, is an educator and scholar who focuses on the development and investigation of systems (e.g., family, technological, institutional) to assist historically underrepresented populations thrive psychosocially, socially, academically, and vocationally in higher education and science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). She is especially interested in the advancement and broadening participation of women and racial and ethnic minorities’ in these areas, and she believes technology and distance education systems can be leveraged for these purposes. Amanda is currently an Associate Professor and the Doctoral Program Coordinator for a Learning Design and Technology program at the University of Memphis. Click the “About” button below to learn more.

Words From Colleagues & Students

“There are professionals in this world that are high-performing individuals in the top 90 to 98 percentile. These are great people to have on your team. BUT, then there are ALL-STARS—the proverbial unicorns of education and of business—that function in the top 1 to 2 percentile. Dr. Amanda Rockinson-Szapkiw is one of those few all-stars.” – Michael, Colleague

“Rockinson-Szapkiw has been such an inspiration to me in everything that she does. She’s not only a dissertation chair but a female mentor and a role model for balancing service, research, and family, as well. Her knowledge regarding research and the dissertation process is exceptional to say the least. I do not feel that I would have made it this far into the process without her. What an asset!”
– Doug, Student

“Q’s efficiency was appreciated. The turnaround time on assignment feedback was spectacular. She has far surpassed any other professor I have had so far in the department. Not only was her turnaround time amazing she provided thoughtful feedback that made me evaluate my research plan.”
– Lorene, Student

“I was impressed with your organization of the dissertation process. The collaborative workspace Dr. Rockinson-Szapkiw built to facilitate doctoral mentorship is helpful in assuring that students stay connected with their mentors and produce a quality dissertation when working at a distance. I have never seen such a well developed and organized doctoral process. It’s not surprising that students are finishing in 3-4 years.”
– Nathan, Faculty

“Szapkiw’s patience and encouragement in this statistics class was that of a saint. She maintained a balance of compassion and rigor and she demonstrated an exemplary model of student teacher engagement. The presentations by Dr. Szapkiw demonstrating SPSS usage were excellent!” – Student, EDUC 812: Advanced Statistics

“Szapkiw was encouraging and kind, while being evaluative and scholarly. She provides clear feedback and is willing to go the extra mile to assist students in understanding research and developing quality plans for their dissertations. Research methods is her expertise, yet she explains research in a way a novice can understand. I cannot begin to say enough positive things about her and what this course has done for my mental state in this doctoral process.”
– Chelsy, Student

“She is the best teacher I’ve worked with! She is very analytical, very knowledgeable, and explained concepts in an easy to understand manner. She is enthusiastic about her subject (statistics), and has helped me to minimize my fear of the subject. I am even starting to enjoy the class.”
– Alan, Student

“Szapkiw is a caring teacher, very responsive, and displays the characteristics of an educational leader. The material is difficult but the teacher is awesome! She has excellent communication skills, is very professional, and graded critically but fairly.”
– Michelle, Student