Written by Jailene Cuevas

Published on October 6, 2015

When Professor Michael Amico teaches a lecture, you can hear in his voice that not only does he love what he’s doing but he’s proud of where he is.

I’ve never met anyone who has so much energy at 8 a.m.. Amico came to class every day with a smile on his face and a soda in his right hand ready to teach.  

Whenever he lectures about a new subject, you can hear he knows what he is talking about.  There were times students would have a bad day but once they came to class and he started a new lecture, you would see everyone with a smile on their face.  His lectures affect the students in a positive way and, for me, that was my therapy.

In my first semester here at HCC, all I knew was that I needed a psychology class and I did not care with whom as long as I could be in and out.  Luckily, I had a connection with Professor Amico. He changed the way I thought about not only life but myself.  

“When they take my class, I want them to understand why I love what I do,” he said.

Psychology is not only about helping others, but also making sure you are doing your job right. Amico chose Psychology as a major in college because it came natural to him.  He found it easy to learn and also wants to make a difference while teaching this subject to others.  I’ve noticed he loves it when we, the students, ask questions because it shows him how interested we are in the subject.  Unlike other professors, he would stop a lecture just to explain his answer to a student’s question until he or she completely understood the subject.  

Amico is not only a teacher but also does research and sees patients on the side. He says his goal is to improve every day whether it is clinically with his patients or with his research.  One of Amico’s hardest experiences was when one of his patients committed suicide.

Amico always questions himself, “What did I do wrong?”  

Despite that, Amico wants to continue along with teaching his awesome students and passing on his passions.  

“Students are the future and if they succeed with their goal, then I did my job,” Amico said with a smile, his eyes brightening.