Student Testimonials
The below testimonials are published with the permission of the students.
FIRST-YEAR COMPOSITION
What I liked about English 102 was that the entire course was about a single topic. The topic was relevant and interesting because it let college students have a word in what was going on in the world. I am really bad at finding something to write about and the topic throughout the class was really helpful for me when working on the assignments. Ms. Fields was really helpful in understanding each point of view of the students and letting them write about their opinions without oppressing our thoughts. - Omar F.
Before being instructed by Amanda, I believed there was not much left to learn within my own native tongue, that there was nothing left to improve. However, class after class, under Amanda's instruction, I'd be more adept, more fluid and coherent with language. Most importantly, Amanda had the ability to make her students love language and realize its importance. - Tamer S.
Ms. Fields had been my mentor and professor during my early years in college. She set the best example of a person who believes in what she teaches. Her classes have helped me shape significant principles in my life, and to value the skills that I have and capitalize on them. What she taught me remained after I have forgotten what I learned at school. - Mariham M.
Not only was she enthusiastic about her students' work, but she would willingly and happily read draft after draft until we felt satisfied with our papers. She taught me to always question my sources and information, which is not only an important writing skill but a life skill. Her attention to detail and her patience were much-needed when I was still learning what kind of writer I wanted to become. - Nareman A.
Teaching a group of students coming from different education systems with different backgrounds in a diverse country like Egypt has never been an easy task. However, Amanda never ceased to proved that she understands the Egyptian society's complex mixture that was represented in her students. Amanda paid attention to every single student. Through engaging almost everyone in interactive discussions that stimulated minds and triggered analytical thinking, there was no chance for even a shy student like myself to be left out. Class assignments were carefully selected to activate different skills and to match students' level as the semester went by. My analytical skills, critical skills, and academic writing skills vastly improved through writing a wide variety of essays. Giving students the freedom on choosing essay topics that match class theme not only allowed us to personalize academic work but also provided us a platform to share experiences, ideas, and different perspectives. Amanda always emphasized on the value behind assignments and class work. I always knew why I was doing it. I could feel the value added to my personality with each completed assignment. It was not only about writing pieces of art, it was about building personalities and introducing new concepts in a highly resistive society to change. - Youstina Y.
It was extremely valuable for me to have the opportunity of being one of Professor Amanda’s students. I enjoyed her classes and I learnt a lot. There were a lot of interactions in her classes which makes me enjoy them to the extent that I took with her 3 classes in 3 consecutive semesters. Professor Amanda was always friendly in and out of the class. She was very inspiring and dedicated. She was also very flexible in meeting with us even after her office hours. - Noran K.
CREATIVE WRITING
I remember feeling like our class was special, that classes like that didn't come around every day. I made actual, long-lasting friends in the class. I looked forward to going every day. There was a feeling of unity in class - among Amanda and all of the students - like we were all working toward the same goal. Every day felt like a step in the pursuit of better work, better knowledge. I wrote embarrassingly personal things in my essays and never worried about social implications. Amanda established a safe and welcoming space for such candidness, and added to that environment thoughtful and intelligent feedback of her own, making for a truly worthwhile workshopping experience. Perhaps the greatest lesson I learned in her class was that good writing was no more about perfecting a particular form than about having a story worthy of that form. Her class remains my benchmark for what a reading and writing workshop can be. It was one of the true highlights of my college experience. - Mike F.
Professor Fields was able to provide me and my classmates with the chance to invest time, effort and emotions in personal essays that helped each one of us find our own voice. She created the perfect writing workshop environment. Her instruction was clear, inspiring and encouraging. She would sit with us around the table and take her turn in discussing assigned readings or peer reviewing our work, along with me and my classmates. It's been about five years since I was Professor Fields' student, yet I still vividly remember our Writing Workshop: my classmates, the essays we wrote, the feedback we gave each other, the readings we read, the round-table discussions we had about concepts as basic as tense-usage and as complex as the writer's voice. Professor Fields may have taught me different writing tools, but most of all she helped me find my own way in using these tools to craft something that is truly mine. It is something only a truly gifted educator could do. It is gift that will stay with me for a very long time, if not forever. - Dina S.
Professor Fields helped me explore the art of writing in a way that helped shape my career. I wouldn't be able to write feature scripts without the tips and tricks I learned in her class. She introduced me to new concepts in storytelling, helped me develop the way I expressed my emotions through setting the mood and background in a way I never knew before. I thoroughly enjoyed taking part of her Creative Writing course. - Farah S.
I took my first ever writing workshop with prof. Amanda. The life stories class was my first introduction to peer critiques and writing communities. Throughout the course, we were able to write lengthy short stories, have them read and critiqued by everyone in the class and improve on them. We were also able to present our stories, read them out loud and see the reactions from those who listened. Professor Amanda Fields was always a great teacher, she explained new concepts clearly, took us step by step through the critique process, and was always supportive of our stories and our growth. After that, I minored in rhetoric and writing and dived into more writing workshops with other professors. She helped me realize how much I loved writing and the correct way to write, re-write and read other people’s drafts. She was truly a great teacher. - Haidy Z.
I first discovered creative writing in a course taught by Amanda at the University of Minnesota. The class was one of my electives on my way to obtaining my degree in English. What resulted was that I ended up liking it so much I took another creative writing class with Amanda the following term. She consistently gave me detailed feedback on my writing, which made me feel that she was truly reading and delving deep into my drafts. She not only challenged me to push myself in my writing, but also provided recommendations of authors and their work that she felt related to my subject and that would help strengthen my skills. Two particular texts that she assigned us remain a couple of my favorite books and examples of talented, engaging, inspiring writing - Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, and Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy. Amanda also encouraged honest and constructive peer feedback in the form of workshops. This practice not only helped me gain valuable insights into my writing and develop an aptitude for receiving constructive criticism, but it also taught me the value of reading, listening, and responding to the writing of my peers. I grew so much academically from the creative writing experience in Amanda's courses. - Nell M.
BUSINESS WRITING
Amanda's knowledge of rhetoric and business writing genres helped significantly in developing my persuasive writing and editing skills. Moreover, she provided the opportunity to use these skills not only in challenging, individual writing assignments, but also in collaborative team projects. These projects gave me and other students the opportunity to create a range of business documents for real clients. Her attentive instruction, along with her emphasis on practicing these skills in real-world situations, have left me more confident as a writer and a soon-to-be graduate entering the job market. - Buck K.
Amanda Fields was an understanding and communicative professor who provided clear assignments, lessons, and information. Providing real-world experience as homework was a brilliant move, and I learned a great deal from it that I now apply to my work. I would recommend her class to any student aspiring to learn about business writing. - Amanda T.
Taking a business writing course with Amanda Fields took a lot of determination and focus because there were a range of projects that required personal interaction with the interviewee, group initiative, and public communication. Amanda Fields used a lot of student interaction and engagement which is beneficial for students. The interactions were useful because they required the students to stay focused and on task with projects/assignments. The course allowed me to work on my public speaking and networking skills. I gained experience not only in writing in a business format but to create and present assignments in a business format as well. Her style of teaching is flexible and accommodates the students because she wants students to gain as much experience and skills throughout the course. - Rose C.
ADVANCED COMPOSITION
Amanda made me want to come to her class every day. She offered interesting perspectives of revolutions as well as forms of resistance that are not well known, such as zines. In group discussions, she made thought-provoking insights that made you re-evaluate or think deeper to support or qualify your position. In a discussion about whether graffiti could use the Internet as a medium, I had to delve into the idea of graffiti and discern the criteria that made graffiti bolster my argument. I felt particularly rewarded in this discussion because Amanda's desire for us to think critically led me to draw my conclusion and sway a vast majority of the class to my opinion - Amanda made me work hard and feel proud of my accomplishments. I never liked projects in classes whether they were group or individual, but I loved the ones we were assigned in Amanda's class. While there were criteria that needed to be met, there was plenty of freedom to do what you wished. There was also a creative element that made it all the more fun to do - it was more fun to write a parody and a slam poem as opposed to a dry research paper. Throughout my experience, Amanda was always willing to offer advice and direction wherever it was required. I'm often afraid to speak to my professors, but I always felt encouraged and welcome to speak with her. Amanda is one of the best professors I've had in my college experience. - Cody B.
Amanda led a relevant and thought-provoking class. It was much more than I expected from a composition course ,and challenged me not only to become a better writer, but also a more critical thinker. I was a science major and had grown comfortable with a binary system of thinking, but her course challenged me to develop different ideas and explore the gray areas. She was also great at understanding the needs of the class, and was flexible enough to change the structure of things to fit the flow of the group. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been in Amanda's class, which has improved not only the structure of my writing, but also the boundaries of my ideas. - Naomi B.
As a senior undergraduate student, I can affirm that Amanda Fields stands out as one of the finest instructors I have met throughout my college career. Professor Fields themes her classes around relevant and fascinating topics such as revolution and resistance, promotes constant and meaningful discussion among her students, and encourages us to focus our class projects on matters that are of sincere interest to ourselves. She also made her class even more interesting by connecting us with literary scholars, journalists, and students from the American University in Cairo. Furthermore, her relaxed, amiable, and enthusiastic style in the classroom makes her one of the most approachable instructors I know. - Alejandro S.
Amanda is a fantastic instructor who challenges students to think about concepts that we are familiar with in new perspectives. Amanda taught me to analyze any situation under various angles and focus on the rhetoric utilized to convey particular messages. In addition, she allowed us to be creative in choosing our own topics for our individual and group projects. Having chosen street harassment for my group project, I delved into the complex nature of the issue and its implications on the gender roles in our society. The culmination of the project was a slam poem that we performed - this allowed me to step outside my boundaries and explore a topic that I wanted learn. Amanda encouraged me to challenge myself and be inquisitive in problem-solving. - Saradadevi T.
FIRST-YEAR COMPOSITION
What I liked about English 102 was that the entire course was about a single topic. The topic was relevant and interesting because it let college students have a word in what was going on in the world. I am really bad at finding something to write about and the topic throughout the class was really helpful for me when working on the assignments. Ms. Fields was really helpful in understanding each point of view of the students and letting them write about their opinions without oppressing our thoughts. - Omar F.
Before being instructed by Amanda, I believed there was not much left to learn within my own native tongue, that there was nothing left to improve. However, class after class, under Amanda's instruction, I'd be more adept, more fluid and coherent with language. Most importantly, Amanda had the ability to make her students love language and realize its importance. - Tamer S.
Ms. Fields had been my mentor and professor during my early years in college. She set the best example of a person who believes in what she teaches. Her classes have helped me shape significant principles in my life, and to value the skills that I have and capitalize on them. What she taught me remained after I have forgotten what I learned at school. - Mariham M.
Not only was she enthusiastic about her students' work, but she would willingly and happily read draft after draft until we felt satisfied with our papers. She taught me to always question my sources and information, which is not only an important writing skill but a life skill. Her attention to detail and her patience were much-needed when I was still learning what kind of writer I wanted to become. - Nareman A.
Teaching a group of students coming from different education systems with different backgrounds in a diverse country like Egypt has never been an easy task. However, Amanda never ceased to proved that she understands the Egyptian society's complex mixture that was represented in her students. Amanda paid attention to every single student. Through engaging almost everyone in interactive discussions that stimulated minds and triggered analytical thinking, there was no chance for even a shy student like myself to be left out. Class assignments were carefully selected to activate different skills and to match students' level as the semester went by. My analytical skills, critical skills, and academic writing skills vastly improved through writing a wide variety of essays. Giving students the freedom on choosing essay topics that match class theme not only allowed us to personalize academic work but also provided us a platform to share experiences, ideas, and different perspectives. Amanda always emphasized on the value behind assignments and class work. I always knew why I was doing it. I could feel the value added to my personality with each completed assignment. It was not only about writing pieces of art, it was about building personalities and introducing new concepts in a highly resistive society to change. - Youstina Y.
It was extremely valuable for me to have the opportunity of being one of Professor Amanda’s students. I enjoyed her classes and I learnt a lot. There were a lot of interactions in her classes which makes me enjoy them to the extent that I took with her 3 classes in 3 consecutive semesters. Professor Amanda was always friendly in and out of the class. She was very inspiring and dedicated. She was also very flexible in meeting with us even after her office hours. - Noran K.
CREATIVE WRITING
I remember feeling like our class was special, that classes like that didn't come around every day. I made actual, long-lasting friends in the class. I looked forward to going every day. There was a feeling of unity in class - among Amanda and all of the students - like we were all working toward the same goal. Every day felt like a step in the pursuit of better work, better knowledge. I wrote embarrassingly personal things in my essays and never worried about social implications. Amanda established a safe and welcoming space for such candidness, and added to that environment thoughtful and intelligent feedback of her own, making for a truly worthwhile workshopping experience. Perhaps the greatest lesson I learned in her class was that good writing was no more about perfecting a particular form than about having a story worthy of that form. Her class remains my benchmark for what a reading and writing workshop can be. It was one of the true highlights of my college experience. - Mike F.
Professor Fields was able to provide me and my classmates with the chance to invest time, effort and emotions in personal essays that helped each one of us find our own voice. She created the perfect writing workshop environment. Her instruction was clear, inspiring and encouraging. She would sit with us around the table and take her turn in discussing assigned readings or peer reviewing our work, along with me and my classmates. It's been about five years since I was Professor Fields' student, yet I still vividly remember our Writing Workshop: my classmates, the essays we wrote, the feedback we gave each other, the readings we read, the round-table discussions we had about concepts as basic as tense-usage and as complex as the writer's voice. Professor Fields may have taught me different writing tools, but most of all she helped me find my own way in using these tools to craft something that is truly mine. It is something only a truly gifted educator could do. It is gift that will stay with me for a very long time, if not forever. - Dina S.
Professor Fields helped me explore the art of writing in a way that helped shape my career. I wouldn't be able to write feature scripts without the tips and tricks I learned in her class. She introduced me to new concepts in storytelling, helped me develop the way I expressed my emotions through setting the mood and background in a way I never knew before. I thoroughly enjoyed taking part of her Creative Writing course. - Farah S.
I took my first ever writing workshop with prof. Amanda. The life stories class was my first introduction to peer critiques and writing communities. Throughout the course, we were able to write lengthy short stories, have them read and critiqued by everyone in the class and improve on them. We were also able to present our stories, read them out loud and see the reactions from those who listened. Professor Amanda Fields was always a great teacher, she explained new concepts clearly, took us step by step through the critique process, and was always supportive of our stories and our growth. After that, I minored in rhetoric and writing and dived into more writing workshops with other professors. She helped me realize how much I loved writing and the correct way to write, re-write and read other people’s drafts. She was truly a great teacher. - Haidy Z.
I first discovered creative writing in a course taught by Amanda at the University of Minnesota. The class was one of my electives on my way to obtaining my degree in English. What resulted was that I ended up liking it so much I took another creative writing class with Amanda the following term. She consistently gave me detailed feedback on my writing, which made me feel that she was truly reading and delving deep into my drafts. She not only challenged me to push myself in my writing, but also provided recommendations of authors and their work that she felt related to my subject and that would help strengthen my skills. Two particular texts that she assigned us remain a couple of my favorite books and examples of talented, engaging, inspiring writing - Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, and Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy. Amanda also encouraged honest and constructive peer feedback in the form of workshops. This practice not only helped me gain valuable insights into my writing and develop an aptitude for receiving constructive criticism, but it also taught me the value of reading, listening, and responding to the writing of my peers. I grew so much academically from the creative writing experience in Amanda's courses. - Nell M.
BUSINESS WRITING
Amanda's knowledge of rhetoric and business writing genres helped significantly in developing my persuasive writing and editing skills. Moreover, she provided the opportunity to use these skills not only in challenging, individual writing assignments, but also in collaborative team projects. These projects gave me and other students the opportunity to create a range of business documents for real clients. Her attentive instruction, along with her emphasis on practicing these skills in real-world situations, have left me more confident as a writer and a soon-to-be graduate entering the job market. - Buck K.
Amanda Fields was an understanding and communicative professor who provided clear assignments, lessons, and information. Providing real-world experience as homework was a brilliant move, and I learned a great deal from it that I now apply to my work. I would recommend her class to any student aspiring to learn about business writing. - Amanda T.
Taking a business writing course with Amanda Fields took a lot of determination and focus because there were a range of projects that required personal interaction with the interviewee, group initiative, and public communication. Amanda Fields used a lot of student interaction and engagement which is beneficial for students. The interactions were useful because they required the students to stay focused and on task with projects/assignments. The course allowed me to work on my public speaking and networking skills. I gained experience not only in writing in a business format but to create and present assignments in a business format as well. Her style of teaching is flexible and accommodates the students because she wants students to gain as much experience and skills throughout the course. - Rose C.
ADVANCED COMPOSITION
Amanda made me want to come to her class every day. She offered interesting perspectives of revolutions as well as forms of resistance that are not well known, such as zines. In group discussions, she made thought-provoking insights that made you re-evaluate or think deeper to support or qualify your position. In a discussion about whether graffiti could use the Internet as a medium, I had to delve into the idea of graffiti and discern the criteria that made graffiti bolster my argument. I felt particularly rewarded in this discussion because Amanda's desire for us to think critically led me to draw my conclusion and sway a vast majority of the class to my opinion - Amanda made me work hard and feel proud of my accomplishments. I never liked projects in classes whether they were group or individual, but I loved the ones we were assigned in Amanda's class. While there were criteria that needed to be met, there was plenty of freedom to do what you wished. There was also a creative element that made it all the more fun to do - it was more fun to write a parody and a slam poem as opposed to a dry research paper. Throughout my experience, Amanda was always willing to offer advice and direction wherever it was required. I'm often afraid to speak to my professors, but I always felt encouraged and welcome to speak with her. Amanda is one of the best professors I've had in my college experience. - Cody B.
Amanda led a relevant and thought-provoking class. It was much more than I expected from a composition course ,and challenged me not only to become a better writer, but also a more critical thinker. I was a science major and had grown comfortable with a binary system of thinking, but her course challenged me to develop different ideas and explore the gray areas. She was also great at understanding the needs of the class, and was flexible enough to change the structure of things to fit the flow of the group. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been in Amanda's class, which has improved not only the structure of my writing, but also the boundaries of my ideas. - Naomi B.
As a senior undergraduate student, I can affirm that Amanda Fields stands out as one of the finest instructors I have met throughout my college career. Professor Fields themes her classes around relevant and fascinating topics such as revolution and resistance, promotes constant and meaningful discussion among her students, and encourages us to focus our class projects on matters that are of sincere interest to ourselves. She also made her class even more interesting by connecting us with literary scholars, journalists, and students from the American University in Cairo. Furthermore, her relaxed, amiable, and enthusiastic style in the classroom makes her one of the most approachable instructors I know. - Alejandro S.
Amanda is a fantastic instructor who challenges students to think about concepts that we are familiar with in new perspectives. Amanda taught me to analyze any situation under various angles and focus on the rhetoric utilized to convey particular messages. In addition, she allowed us to be creative in choosing our own topics for our individual and group projects. Having chosen street harassment for my group project, I delved into the complex nature of the issue and its implications on the gender roles in our society. The culmination of the project was a slam poem that we performed - this allowed me to step outside my boundaries and explore a topic that I wanted learn. Amanda encouraged me to challenge myself and be inquisitive in problem-solving. - Saradadevi T.