Staff Spotlight: Amy Monks

What's your role at D&A College, and what's the story behind how you ended up here?

I am the Team Leader for the Students’ Association. I came to the College back in 2017, as a Hair & Beauty student. I loved learning and soon got involved with DASA as a class department rep. I loved everything that DASA was about - helping to create an inclusive and positive experience for students. I wanted to get more involved and decided to run for Vice President at the Arbroath campus. The election process was way out of my comfort zone but with the support of Sarah Rennie and other candidates I pushed through and won.

I was VP for two years in total after being re-elected for a second term, during this time I also completed my studies and became self-employed in the hair and beauty industry. But I felt I had more to give to the Students’ Association and decided to run in the election for the full time post as Student President. This was a ‘covid’ election which kept us all on our toes so we had to get creative with campaigns! Thankfully, the grafting paid off with a win. In my two years as president I was involved in helping the return to college for students and staff after lockdown. The strength and resilience of the D&A community is something else! At the end of my two years I was very emotional at the thought of leaving the college and DASA, but as fate would have it, the team leader position came up a few months before the end of my term. In Feb 2023, I became interim team leader and the position was made permanent in Dec 2023. It's been an amazing 18 months so far and I have learned so much. I can't wait to see what comes next!

Work is one thing, but what do you do outside of the college walls? Any exciting hobbies or weekend adventures?

I love a cold water swim. I can’t get out to a loch/river as much as I’d like to around work and family life, but I was kindly gifted a plunge pool for my birthday so I can now take a wee dip in the back garden! My latest wild swim was in Loch Lomond!

When you were younger, what was your dream job? And if you could do any career, what would you choose and why?

I didn’t really have a specific dream job, I just knew I wanted to be a mum and work somewhere I could be creative. I am lucky enough to have both now.

If you could have any person, dead or alive, as a dinner guest , who would it be and why?

I love a meal with family so maybe some of my ancestors to learn more about them. For someone famous, Dame Maggie Smith, she was in some of my all time favourite films, (Hook, The Secret Garden and Harry Potter) I was so sad that she passed away recently, I’m sure she’d have some amazing stories.

Share with us the most valuable piece of advice or life lesson that's really stuck with you, especially when it comes to dealing with the ups and downs of learning.

Best life advice – other people’s opinion of you is their business, nothing to do with you. I have suffered with anxiety from my early 20’s and would always shy away from being myself, or doing things I really wanted to because I was scared of what other people might think. And I wish I didn’t waste so much time and energy. A lot of people had an opinion when I came back to college at 30 with two very young children and no job, but I knew I needed to do it for me. I love being a mum but I also want to love being Amy. I knew it was a risk but I love to learn and being at college made me feel like me again. So the risk definitely paid off, and although I still have anxiety I won’t let it stop me doing challenging things. I have grown so much over the past 7 years. I have often said D&A changed my life and it's very true for this reason.

Look out for more staff spotlights coming soon!