Profile: Amanda Turnley
Amanda Turnley is the director of student care and support in the Division of Student Affairs. She provides support to students who are struggling academically or personally and helps connect them to on-campus resources.
Turnley manages 350+ cases each semester. Cases can range from talking to a student once to spending hours in meetings and follow-ups with a student. She typically works with students on an individual basis for one to two semesters on a particular concern. Oftentimes, she meets with a student about one concern (e.g., behind in classwork), and, in talking with the student, she learns about additional concerns or needs (e.g., mental health concerns). Turnley would then, for example, help the student have a conversation with their professor and connect the student with academic support resources and ECAPS.
Once a student no longer needs assistance, their case is closed. Turnley occasionally will work with the same student off and on during their Emerson career, when new concerns arise. Students find her office both on their own and through referrals from faculty; other students; and other student support offices, such as Housing and Residential Education.
Student Success, Housing and Residential Education, ECAPS, Student Accessibility Services, and Academic Advising are the offices that she most frequently connects students with, but Turnley works with most other offices at least once per year. She also works with outside providers, such as hospitals and treatment facilities, when students need help navigating their academic work with these types of providers.
Turnley celebrated her 10th anniversary at Emerson this summer. She began in a role in Housing Operations and moved into her current role in 2016. Prior to Emerson, she worked as live-in residential life staff at Fisher College and Lesley University. She treasures the relationships and friendships she has formed at Emerson over the years. She explained, “My job is so collaborative that it requires me to work with a lot of people. Many of the staff here are willing to help out at a moment’s notice, and everyone is working with the students’ best interests in mind.”
She grew up in the suburbs outside of New York City and attended Drew University in New Jersey for her undergraduate education. She has a BA in psychology and a double minor in sociology and women’s studies and an MEd in higher education administration from Suffolk University. She currently lives in Somerville, MA, with her husband.
Within a few minutes of meeting Turnley, you would probably glean that she is “one of the biggest Disney lovers you will ever meet.” She said that she incorporates Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Disney into almost every aspect of her life. When the pandemic started and she started working remotely, she began using Disney virtual backgrounds for her Zoom calls and also posted photos of herself in front of the backgrounds on social media. She has been doing this daily since March. It’s brought her and her social media followers a little joy during this difficult time.
In her spare time, she enjoys doing Disney jigsaw puzzles and reading mysteries and psychological thrillers. Naturally, Walt Disney World is her favorite vacation spot. Her favorite park is the Magic Kingdom and her favorite resort is Port Orleans Riverside. Consider her your on-campus go-to Disney resource!
Nancy Howell (Communications and Marketing)