LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. — The Fayette County Human Service Council has named Amanda Collins its 2025 Direct Service Worker of the Year, recognizing her concern for others and commitment to promoting goodwill. Council members cited Collins’ empathy, professionalism and dedication to those she serves.
Collins, secretary of the council’s board and a mental health professional at Penn State Fayette, was selected during a recent board meeting. The announcement came as a surprise to Collins, who said she did not realize she was under consideration.
“They mentioned one of the recipients was on the board,” Collins said. She looked around the room of deserving nominees, never considering that she might be the recipient. “When they said my name, I burst into tears.”
Collins has worked in the human services field for more than a decade. A Penn State Fayette alumna, she earned undergraduate degrees in psychology and political science before completing a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy at Seton Hill University. She joined Penn State Fayette in 2018 and has served on the Human Service Council board since 2022.
“I’ve always felt called to help people,” Collins reflected on her role in making people feel seen, understood, and welcomed. “I do what I do because I love it; it doesn’t feel like work, it feels like joy.”