Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable fall 2025 graduates.
Amanda Rudd lives in Parker, Arizona — a remote town of about 3,500 people on the California border.
It’s here, on the banks of the Colorado River, that she put down roots. It’s here that she met and married her best friend. And it’s just south of here that she lost her husband, Sergeant Michael Rudd, in the line of duty — just eight days after their wedding.
Rudd’s life changed overnight. In the months that followed, she faced the kind of grief that rearranges everything, and finding her footing again took time. Slowly, through her family and support from others, she began to forge a new path shaped by both grief and resolve.
One part of that path was starting the 554 Foundation to honor her husband’s legacy as a public servant. Named for his badge number, the nonprofit supports youth and strengthens connections between communities and law enforcement.
The other part was pursuing an education.
“(The pain of loss) gave me a deep desire to understand people, trauma, resilience and community support,” she says. “It made me want to help others find hope in their hardest moments.”
Pursuing a degree in family and human development from ASU Online, she threw herself into her studies, maintaining high grades, engaging deeply with her courses and connecting her learning to life experiences. That effort culminated in a deeply personal project called the Emerging Adults Toolkit and Summary, a trauma-informed and faith-based resource to help young adults navigate the transition to independence.
“(The toolkit) combined my academic learning with my lived experience and nonprofit work,” Rudd says.
She says one of her favorite aspects of the field is “seeing the resilience in people and knowing that even small acts of support can make a lasting impact.”
It’s that conviction for learning and service that helped her stay focused during the hardest seasons of her studies. And ultimately, the work she put into the degree became part of her own recovery.
“Education can be a form of healing,” she says. “Courses challenged me academically, but they also gave me a framework to process grief, strengthen my faith and find practical ways to turn pain into purpose. That isn’t something I expected.”
And it’s something she will continue. This January, Rudd will be starting a master’s degree in education for school counseling — another step toward her goal of helping families and youth build resilience. She will also continue to share her story widely as a speaker for the Gary Sinise Foundation.
“I’d love to see a world where trauma is met with compassion, not stigma,” she says. “I plan to use my degree to create more trauma-informed, faith-based resources for young people and families who need both practical tools and emotional support.”
We reached out to Rudd to learn more about her journey.
Question: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
Answer: Don’t give up even when life feels overwhelming. It’s taken me 15 years to do what most of my peers did in 4. I used to compare and feel so defeated. Over time I learned that wasn’t practical in my journey, and told myself slow pace is better than no pace. Your education is something no one can take from you, and finishing your degree is a gift to yourself and to the people you’ll serve.
Also, give yourself grace. College is a time of growth, and growth often comes with discomfort. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, lean into community and remember why you started. You’re not alone — even when it feels like it.
Q: Shout out a professor, advisor or someone else who made a big impact on your journey — what did they teach you?
A: I’d like to shout out Jose Lizarraga who was my advisor at Arizona Western College and ASU Local. He encouraged me and believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself. I am a first-generation student, so many times I was lost on what to do or where to start. He definitely goes above and beyond for his students. I wouldn’t have made it without him.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share?
A: This journey has been about so much more than earning a degree. It has been about honoring my husband’s legacy through the work of the 554 Foundation, showing my children that perseverance matters and proving to myself that brokenness can lead to growth. From childhood on, life handed me hardships that often felt overwhelming and unfair. But over time, I’ve learned to turn pain into purpose and obstacles into opportunities. This degree is part of that transformation, and I am very proud of myself.
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