Hello! My name is Amanda (Mandie) Soter and I am a senior at the College of Charleston. I am graduating May 11, 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies, and minoring in Business Administration. 

I am a Rhode Island native, brought to the College of Charleston by the unmistakable beauty of Charleston, SC. Moving to Charleston was a drastic lifestyle change for me because I grew up in a rural part of Rhode Island, working on a farm and competing nationally on Arabian horses. The warm and laid back style of Charleston was just the transition that I needed to embark on a new life. 

Some fun facts about me! 

I absolutely love horses. I plan to get back into riding and competing once I graduate, but I had to place my hobby on the back burner to focus my attention on my studies and make sure that I got the most out of my education. I have been riding and competing since I was five years old, and was given my first pony when I was seven. I worked my way up through the equestrian world, and at 21 years old in Lexington, Kentucky, my horse (shown above) and I won the National Championship in Training Level Dressage. I had dreamt of it my entire life and it finally came true. 

I absolutely love people. I am a very personable person with a love for talking and getting to know people. I also love helping people. My friends describe me as energetic, talkative, giving, nurturing, bubbly, ambitious, and adventurous. When trying to decide what my dream job would be, I started with the fact that I would not be able to do a job that did not allow me to work with people on a daily basis. Cubical desk jobs with minimal interaction are not for me. 

My favorite activity in the summer is sitting outside the campfire at my parents house in Rhode Island. We don't have any neighbors and are tucked back into the woods with total privacy. Some of the best conversations and times I have had with my family is just sitting around the camp fire sharing stories and laughs. 

I went on my first mission trip this March (2013) with the College of Charleston. I was part of a Micro-Finance Brigade that took place in Pajarillos, Honduras. The entire experience was priceless and it has definitely sparked my love for such trips and I can't wait to join more brigade trips. 

All in all, I love to have fun, be happy, and surround myself with people who make me smile, work harder, and be a better person. I truly believe people can always improve in anything they do, and it's one of life's greatest pleasures to experience different ways of improving yourself. I take pride in everything I do and I am never a deaf ear to someone reaching out to help me. I am also someone who is always willing and eager to help others in any way I can. I value all of the relationships I have in my life, and I am always aware of the many blessings I have been granted thus far. 

A more personal look at my life over the years...