Purpose Out of Pain: Regent Alumna and Professor, Dr. Amanda-Lee Pitzer, Equips Leaders Through Advocacy, Education, and Service

For Dr. Amanda-Lee Pitzer (SOE, ’23), Regent University is more than an academic institution — for her, it’s also a place of restoration, empowerment, and calling. As an assistant professor in the School of Education and Director of the Dissertation Mentoring Program, she is equipping the next generation of Christian servant-leaders to make an impact for God’s glory in education.

Her journey to Regent began during a season of great personal trial. Dr. Pitzer had been exploring a return to school to earn her doctorate when she faced a devastating loss. In 2019, her husband of 15 years, a chief in the U.S. Navy, took his own life — leaving her a widow and single mother of two sons.

It would be another year before Dr. Pitzer moved forward on pursuing her doctorate in education at Regent. Having earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees at secular universities, she wanted to continue her studies at an institution where she didn’t feel “like a number.”

“It just kind of seemed to all point to Regent’s direction,” Dr. Pitzer recalls. “It was around this time I was noticing my boys were struggling in some ways I hadn’t expected. A friend at work introduced the idea of trauma to me and how it impacts them. So, it was just a natural fit for me to go into educational psychology. I ended up focusing my dissertation on trauma, and that’s where I’m focusing my work today.”

That focus has grown into a national platform. Dr. Pitzer is the founding president of the Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads Chapter of “Angels of America’s Fallen.” She also serves as an advocate on Capitol Hill for military families and is a twice-published author, writing on trauma-informed teaching and teacher care.

“What I thought was a pathway to a degree has become a pathway into service, writing books and serving families as I have been served,” she explains. “It’s exactly what Regent equips you to do.”

A Spirit-Filled Community of Support

Unlike her previous experiences in higher education, Dr. Pitzer found Regent to be deeply personal and spiritually intentional: “I was amazed at how many professors, who had only seen me on a Zoom call or two, knew who I was. They called me by name. I wasn’t a number. I was really seen at Regent.”

She also praises the unique spiritual atmosphere she encountered as a student. “The fact that they anoint you and pray over you,” Dr. Pitzer admits. “[It] wasn’t what I expected.” Later, as a new professor attending the university’s annual convocation ceremony, she was pleasantly surprised to experience the importance placed on anointing and praying for every employee.

“All new staff,” Dr. Pitzer remembers. “You had lawn maintenance, janitorial staff, and admin staff. We were all there and were all prayed over, really making sure every employee coming into Regent knows you’re there for a reason. That type of intentionality doesn’t seem forced. It seems very real, and I think that is just so refreshing.”

The spirit-filled environment she has experienced as a Regent student and educator has been vital as she navigates life’s challenges. “I can’t tell you how many times I thought, ‘What am I thinking? I’m not capable of getting a doctorate.’ Part of that came from years of abuse that I had to undo in my mind,” she shares. “Anytime I doubted myself, people at Regent would tell me, ‘You’re 100% capable,’ and they would pray over me. … That’s what I mean about feeling valued.”

Dr. Pitzer’s life verse, 1 Peter 5:10 (ESV), anchors her journey: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” She says, “In the original language, restoration doesn’t mean to give it back, but to make it better than it was before. You can’t get better than that.”

The Role of Donors: Guardians of Hope and Legacy

Having benefited from military scholarships and caring accommodations by Regent faculty, Dr. Pitzer knows firsthand the crucial role financial support plays in reaching your educational goals. “The cost shouldn’t be prohibitive to have an experience that’s not just good for you academically or for your career,” she insists. “Sometimes you need a certain experience because of where you are emotionally.”

She adds, “It’s really important for students to be in an environment that’s not just going to give them the degree, but it’s going to maybe repair damage that’s been done as they walk through life. … That’s what a donor’s role is: By making Regent accessible and, kind of, leveling the playing field, you’re giving a student more than a degree.”

Dr. Pitzer has this message for donors: “I know it seems like all of this is about dollars and cents. But I don’t think what you realize is you’re not just the guardian of the checkbook. You’re the guardian of a student’s hope and their legacy. Your impact goes beyond so much more than the money.”

Equipping Servant Leaders to Change the World

From publishing trauma-informed books and teaching resources to leading nonprofit initiatives, Dr. Pitzer’s life embodies Regent’s mission of Christian leadership to change the world for God’s glory. “I really want to make sure that 25% of my time is spent in service,” she explains. “We’ve been given a lot, and we’re entrusted to do the same. That’s part of the legacy. What are you going to leave behind? Yes, I can leave money, but I also want to leave a work ethic and a commitment to service because that’s really what we’re put on earth to do.”

Now, happily re-married and fully committed to helping fulfill Regent’s vital mission, Dr. Pitzer’s testimony is one of “making purpose out of pain.” Her story of personal restoration was written through her blessing and serving others. Thanks to the generous financial and prayer support from university friends and donors, students and alumni just like her are not only equipped for their callings, but are also empowered to change lives, communities, and nations for generations to come.