What kept you busy outside of your coursework?

Teaching and being a TA alongside my own classes kept me very busy. Within the UIUC community, I was co-chair of the student advisory board for McKinley Health Center, a member of UIUC-NAMI, and worked with NAMI to start implementing the Green Bandana Project on campus, which is a mental health awareness initiative. Aside from school, I worked a few bartending jobs around town and volunteered with the American Heart Association. My dog and bunny also keep me very busy at home. 😊

What inspired you to pursue a MHA degree?

I always knew I wanted to pursue a MHA degree because I want to be able to implement systemic change in healthcare and want to do so as fast as I can.

Why did you choose Illinois for your MHA?

The small class sizes and mentorship are what drew me to Illinois. The close connection with Carle Health and the APE/ILE opportunities help prepare students for the job market and future careers more than other programs I had looked at.

What advice do you have for current students OR prospective students?

I would just say get as involved as you can. It is one thing to learn about healthcare but another to incorporate what you learn into projects and roles. Starting to merge working in healthcare with your learning gives you the opportunity to ease into this career while you still have mentors and professors who welcome your questions and are happy to give advice.