Amanda Chahine returns to her alma mater after exploring multiple careers

Amanda Chahine has already been successful in many realms. She’s worked in public health, been a personal fitness trainer, taught women’s self-defense, tended bar, and designed websites.

“I love what I’m doing right now,” said Chahine.

In summer 2025, the HFC alumna joined the College's staff as web content and design manager.

“It seemed to come full circle because it was HFC that opened my eyes as a student to all the directions I could go,” said Chahine. “HFC was the first place that showed me my potential was boundless, as long as I was willing to try.”

"I think the entire team can say that we're excited to have Amanda on board," said HFC web software developer Jacob Krogol. "She brings an infectious energy and has gotten up to speed at an amazing pace. As she grows in the role, I can't wait to see what unique contributions she brings."

A plethora of opportunities at HFC

The eldest of four daughters, Chahine, who speaks conversational Arabic, was born in Dearborn. She lives in Detroit with her partner, whom she met when they were students at HFC (then Henry Ford Community College).

Chahine is an alumna of Dearborn High School. After graduation, she enrolled at HFC.

“Initially, I was reluctant to attend HFC because I thought community colleges had a stigma attached to them,” admitted Chahine. “But I realized quickly that HFC was not at all what I feared. A plethora of opportunities awaited me here.”

During her time at HFC, Chahine was a member of the Henry Ford II Honors Program. She was a tutor in the Learning Lab. She also participated in several plays through the Theatre program.

“Amanda was an absolute star student!” recalled HFC English instructor Angela Hathikhanavala. “She took my Shakespeare course and exemplified the ideal student scholar: Curious and inquisitive, accompanied by a strong work ethic and dedication to working through tough material with a good attitude. Although it was 14 years ago, I can remember exactly where she sat and how much she contributed to class discussions, as well as our extra credit project, ‘Finding Shakespeare References in Everyday Life.’ She found a lot! I'm so excited to hear that she's back at HFC!”

Fellow English instructor Nicole Castle-Kelly agreed with Hathikhanavala.

“I have been teaching for 20 years as of this August, and Amanda still remains one of my best students and one of my favorite humans of all time!” said Castle-Kelly.

Psychology prepared her for any trajectory

Chahine earned her associate degree in general studies from HFC. She transferred to Wayne State University and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology. She later earned her master’s degree in public health from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, which boasts one of the nation's top-ranked Public Health graduate schools.

“Psychology felt like a broad major that would gear me up for any trajectory I would take, whether it was medicine or law,” she said. “I was a pre-med major at HFC. When I transferred to Wayne, I continued on that track. At Wayne State, I became an activist, advocating for justice and liberation in many causes, including feminist causes.”

During her Wayne State days, Chahine met Dr. Nesha Haniff, a professor of women’s and gender studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Haniff developed innovative educational modules on HIV/AIDS and women’s reproductive health. Chahine traveled with Haniff to South Africa for six weeks, which sparked her interest in the field of public health.

After earning her master’s degree, Chahine was the lead research specialist in the Department of Emergency Radiology for Emory University Hospital for two years. She became disillusioned with the direction the public health field was taking during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, so she decided to change careers.

Proud to bring her expertise back to her alma mater

Chaine earned her certificate in Full Stack Web Development from the Grand Circus Bootcamp Program in Detroit and her Scrum Master Certification, a professional credential that validates an individual's knowledge and skills in the Scrum framework, which is a method for managing projects. She also earned her Ace Personal Training Certificate and taught women’s self-defense. She even taught herself how to code and designed websites for local businesses for a year and a half before joining HFC.

“I can’t say enough about how wonderful Amanda is. I am thrilled she has returned to the HFC family,” said HFC English instructor Dr. Peter Kim. “She was one of the first peer tutors that I had the pleasure of working with in the Learning Lab when I was the coordinator. She was instrumental in helping establish the peer tutoring program. To my great fortune, Amanda stayed on as a lab associate before she graduated from HFC and transferred to Wayne State. She helped in countless ways as the Learning Lab underwent significant challenges and changes. She truly was a breath of fresh air, bringing cheer and good humor, matched by her wit and many talents."

In her role at HFC, her duties include working on the front-end design and user experience of the College’s website and collaborating with departments across campus to help improve their online presence.

"Amanda’s professional experience and education bring a new perspective to the web team that couples well with her time as an HFC Honors Program student and her previous work in the Learning Lab," said web architect and team lead Micah Webner. "She has hit the ground running, and we’re delighted to have her as a member of our team."

“This job gives me the opportunity to contribute to the user interface side of the HFC website,” said Chahine. “As a former student, thinking about how it can benefit current students and having the perspective of someone who considers herself a success story at HFC – given that I had a wonderful experience here as a student – I’ve since gone on to do a crazy number of cool things. Now I can bring my expertise back to HFC, where I found my roots.”