Amstey named senior director for new Office of Pre-College Programs

For Jane Amstey, community engagement and working with youth is part of her identity. The newly appointed senior director for the Office of Pre-College Programs, through the K-12 University Center at Rochester Institute of Technology, has dedicated her life to giving back to those she helps serve in and out of the office.

Having taken a hiatus from RIT for other professional endeavors, Amstey returned in the summer of 2023 to lead a campaign of initiatives aimed at providing assistance to local youth through programs such as Camp Tiger, Liberty Partnerships Program, Science and Technology Entry Program, and more.

“We have all these gifts and talents at the K-12 (center) that allow us to engage with the community, and help our youth and families grow,” she said. “I look at my work in the realm of helping where we’ve already been able to, and grow K-12 to make sure we’re best meeting the needs of youth development through quality programming that has an impact in big and small ways.”

Amstey found her way back to the university after having spent 11 years as the associate director for University/Community Partnerships, where her work focused on community-based participatory research. She then left for other opportunities, but filled a new position last year in a role she said, “Is a perfect fit,” and is tasked with assisting K-12 programs that focus on helping youth be prepared for their future, education and careers, and build educators’ competencies to teach those youth.

“The work we’re doing has grown at RIT within the K-12 arena because of the demands and needs for it,” Amstey said. “We can play a role in the community, and help our youth to grow and develop. Our wheelhouse is with STEAM, and can use resources at RIT to connect the university and the community.”

STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

Her investment in community engagement and working with youth runs deep. Whether through volunteer work stemming back to her childhood – or through professional employment – Amstey said she has dedicated her life to giving back.

“It’s always been important for me to be engaged with the community in a variety of ways, especially with youth,” she said. “I had great adults in my life who were role models for me and I wanted to make sure I can provide that same thing for them.”

Amstey comes to the position with an undergraduate degree from SUNY Stony Brook in social sciences; and minors in childcare and families studies, and science, technology and society studies, which she said was one of the most impactful parts of her educational journey. Her master’s degree, also from Stony Brook, is in social work, with a focus on planning administration research.

Also the mother of two adult sons, Amstey said she enjoys being outdoors, and has volunteered with the Children’s Garden on First Street in Rochester since its inception more than 16 years ago. Established by the Marketview Heights Collective Action Project, to include the Field-to-Table program, it’s an educational garden where youth can learn about where their food comes from, in addition to helping feed the community.