“It took me a long time to get to where I am, and it was never the plan. I didn’t plan on training birds. I went to Auburn for school, and it took me a lot longer than most people. It took me about seven years to get my undergrad, and that was working part-time. I originally wanted to do veterinary medicine and changed my majors three times. It was really disappointing when your life goal changes, but then it worked out really well. I’m really happy where I am now. It’s been a long journey. I got a lot of slack from taking so long to finish my undergrad, and, of course, I had to do that while working, so that’s part of why it took so long, but after I finally graduated, that felt amazing because I didn’t think I would. After finally graduating and then being able to do my new passion, it all felt like it worked out.” – Amanda Sweeney, a raptor trainer and educator at the Auburn University Raptor Center

For Sweeney, graduating was surreal.

“I really never thought I would finish because it was taking so long and I would get discouraged because I’d have all those friends who finish quickly in those four years, or some who would finish early, so seeing all your high school friends already graduated, it became kind of depressing. When I finally did get to walk, that was an amazing feeling.”

Amanda Sweeney, a raptor trainer and educator with the Auburn University Raptor Center, holds bald eagle Independence, one of the eagles that takes flight before Auburn’s home football games. (Dawson Estes / People of Alabama)

She loves working with the birds and watching them in flight during Auburn’s home football games.

“Just watching them up there, people cheering, it’s an amazing feeling to see that. I love the birds, and then knowing that everyone else loves them and that we’re sharing them with so many people is such an awesome feeling.”

These are the faces and stories of people from all walks of life who call Alabama home. People of Alabama is a Red Clay Media and Alabama News Center partnership.