Amy Betzelberger

Get to know Amy:

1. Where are you from?
I grew up in rural Central Illinois and have lived in England, Australia, South Africa, and Wisconsin.

2. Where did you go to college and what did you study?
I did my bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University with a major in biology.

3. What career were you interested in when you started college? How about when you graduated from college?
When I started college, I had decided not to be a large animal veterinarian, and I was exploring from there. When I started doing research in a lab on campus, I decided to pursue research as a career. Along the way I picked up a lot of skills in communication, leadership, and collaboration.

4. What is the best advice you received as an undergraduate?
“Yourself” isn’t something you find; it’s something you build through experiences and action.

5. Did you go to graduate school or professional school after college?
I went to graduate school and did my Ph.D. at the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign in plant biology.

6. What did you do before you started working at the Hub?
By turns I’ve worked in academic research on freshwater algae, soybeans, wheat, and acacia, and I’ve worked in agriculture, ag software startup, scientific editing, and academic advising.

7. What is your job at the Hub?
I advise students in the biochemistry major and the microbiology major, build the schedule of courses every semester for both departments, help instructors create new courses, help keep the requirements for both majors up to date, and supervise the other advisors in the Hub.

8. What do you enjoy most about advising undergraduates?
I enjoy sharing experiences, helping others succeed, and exploring the many ways that an inquisitive approach the world can bring people closer to their goals and closer to each other. I especially enjoy getting to know my students and seeing them (and helping them) grow and navigate the changes and choices that define this stage of life and carry them on to the next one.

9. What advice would you give to a student declaring a major?
Talk to your advisor and let them get to know you! They are a wealth of information and resources here to help you — in good times and in bad.

10. What advice would you give to students who aren’t sure what they want to do after they graduate?
You’re not alone. You’re not behind. You’re not wrong. A career is something that you build and discover along the way — each step leads to the next and each turn shows you an opportunity that you couldn’t possibly have seen before.

11. What do you love about Madison?
Madison is a great city. You have access to a city-level variety of food and culture and resources, while also being able to get around easily. You have access to downtown and arts and urban activities, and it’s also remarkably easy to get to a ridiculous variety of nature preserves and parks. No city is perfect, and there’s always room for improvement, but Madison is in a nice balance point for access to all those things and has a culture of trying to improve that I really appreciate.

The Quick 5

Favorite movie: The last movie I watched is almost always my favorite — until I watch the next one!
Favorite book: It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite book, but I recently read The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss for the first and second time in the same week, so that has to count for something.
Favorite food: I love trying new foods and restaurants, so it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I will say I have yet to pass up a chocolate croissant this winter.
Favorite age so far: It’s hard to beat the age of dinosaurs.
Favorite hobbies: Anything that gets me outside — hiking, running, trail riding, reading — maybe gardening one of these days, but the learning curve is steep!