University Operating Status

Due to anticipated escalation of protest activities and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our students, exams and other academic activities scheduled to take place before noon today on the College Avenue campus at Rutgers-New Brunswick have been postponed. Civic Square remains open. Activities such as the undergraduate poster sessions will be taking place as scheduled.

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Student and Alumni Spotlights

Briana Hernandez, MHA 25

Forging a Path in Healthcare Leadership

Briana Hernandez

Master of Health Administration, Class of 2025

North Bergen, NJ
Personal interests: Spending time with family, trying new cuisines, working out.

After completing a bachelor of science in public health at the Bloustein School, Briana chose to continue her education with the Rutgers Master of Health Administration program.

“The Bloustein School was always my first choice when looking at graduate schools because I want to grow my network through Rutgers’ professors and advisors,” she said. “I knew I would excel because the faculty and staff are committed to their students growing professionally.”

Briana liked the idea of working in a hospital setting while in high school. Through various research and internship positions as an undergraduate, healthcare administration is where she felt most comfortable.

Since graduating in 2023, Briana has worked as a patient service representative at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. In addition to handling patient registration and scheduling, she has gained familiarity with medical terminology and health insurance issues.

Looking ahead, Briana would like to advance to a manager or director role at RWJUH post-graduation. Further down the road, she envisions a career path in operations in the pharmaceutical industry, while possibly attaining a Ph.D. As an administrator, her goal will be to focus on quality care, process improvement, and cost management.

“Being a part of the Rutgers MHA has been extremely rewarding, especially as a first-year student,” she said. “The Rutgers MHA has a great support system. Being a graduate student, especially while working full-time can be challenging at times. But it is manageable. I will always be thankful for the guidance and honest feedback I received from professors Jane Kaye and Ellen Kurtzman. They showed me the power a woman can have in this field, and have continued to mentor me in my time in the program. had on my personal and professional growth.”