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Where Off-Roading and Academics Intersect
Where OffRoading and Academics Intersect
AMANDA KNAPP USES HER PASSION FOR DIRT-BIKE RACING TO HELP UMBC UNDERGRADS FIND THEIR WAY.
BY AMANDA LOUDIN
On the surface, it might seem that racing dirt bikes and education have little in common, but dig a little deeper, and you might be surprised. At least, that’s the case Amanda Knapp Ph.D. ’13, would make. As associate vice provost and assistant dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and an avid off-road motorcycle competitor, Knapp knows of what she speaks.
Knapp wears many hats. She manages the Academic Success Center, which provides centralized support services to all undergraduate students, while in her role as assistant dean, she provides leadership in the areas of student retention, academic success and graduation.
She’s also a first-generation college student which keeps her closely tied to UMBC students, 25% of whom are first-gen attendees as well. “For these students, it’s very helpful to know they’re not alone and that we’re here to support them,” says Knapp.
That’s where Knapp’s racing career comes into play. “There are many parallels from sport to life,” she says. “It takes a lot of perseverance to succeed, and you’ll have many ups and downs. It’s all about how you overcome those barriers and get back into the race and finish up.”
SUCCESS ON THE RACE COURSE
Amanda Knapp began her career in off-road motorcycle racing a decade ago and has enjoyed as much success there as in her academic career. Some highlights from over the years include: • Champion of the AMA
East Coast Harescramble, a cross-country event characterized by multiple laps over a several-mile long course
• Sprint Cross-Country
Women’s Class Champion • Finisher of eight- and 24-hour challenges
• Participant in the 2022
Tough Like RORR race, described as “one of the toughest enduro races in
North America”
Amanda Knapp (standing) with UMBC colleagues and students.
Knapp often shares the story of her first race with students as an example of persevering when you feel you don’t fit in. “I was the only female in a field of 300 men,” she says. “It was terrifying, but I did it. With students, it’s about getting through that first semester, and then the first year. Eventually, it’s about getting to the ‘checked flag’ called graduation.”
Students often react with shock when they learn of Knapp’s off-road racing passion, she says. “Especially when I show them a photo of me covered in mud,” she laughs. “They’re so used to seeing me in professional attire. I can see the walls begin to break down then, which goes a long way in student success.”
Knapp hopes that sharing her passion outside of work serves to inspire. “I’m a firm believer in work-life balance,” she says. “I have a career in public service, I’m a mother of three, and I have an outside hobby that I love.”
At the very least, Knapp’s racing passion has inspired her family. Husband Ryan, director of operations at UMD, as well as two sons and a daughter all ride. “You might not think of off-road motorcycle racing as a family sport, but it is,” Knapp says. “It has instilled good quality and character in my kids. They’ve learned to be great sportswomen and men, they understand what it means to fall and get back up and to work hard at something.”
All good lessons that prove motorcycles and life success can indeed carry over into the academic arena.
