“If you are interested in healthcare but not the clinical side, healthcare administration is an impactful path. My journey in homeopathic medicine has equipped me with a unique perspective on healthcare, emphasizing the need for holistic and patient-centered approaches. It heightened my awareness of the intricate interplay between healthcare delivery and management, and ignited my ambition to contribute to the enhancement of healthcare systems. The comprehensive curriculum, distinguished faculty, and commitment to preparing students for leadership roles made the Rutgers MHA the obvious choice for me.”
Topic
Spotlights
Leading Change Through Policy and Planning
“As I thought about what I’d want to change in the world, I realized that everything starts with policy and advocacy. I hope to develop programs that allow communities to advocate for what they feel is best suited to their needs, and provide them with the tools to make it possible. The more I learn and the more people I work with in the MPP/MCRP programs, the more I can refine exactly what I need to do to fulfill my goals.”
Cultivating Change through Policy: From Newark to Capitol Hill
“I am the proud mother of two incredible children who inspire me every day to lead with purpose and resilience. Being at the Bloustein School has exceeded my expectations. The program is a stepping stone to my dream, allowing me to merge government relations, advocacy, and communication into a meaningful career. It equips you with the tools, support, and confidence to lead meaningful change and the faculty truly want to see you thrive.”
From Fear to Freedom and Hope: A Venezuelan Student’s Journey
“My goal was college,” said Escalante, who hopes to attend law school. “That was my dream in Venezuela, and my goal was to continue following on my dreams as much as I could.”
Where Health Meets Policy: A Vision for Equitable Care
“Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the challenges many people faced in accessing healthcare due to limited resources and personnel, and I aspired to work in healthcare. As a research fellow with the Ralph W. Voorhees Fellowship Program in Public Service and intern at the New Jersey State Policy Lab, I had the opportunity to explore person-centered care, maternal health disparities, and policy impacts on community well-being. These experiences solidified my passion for policy research and shaped my academic focus on the social determinants of health.”
Leading in Healthcare from Behind the Scenes
“I realized leadership was something I wanted to pursue in the future. Health administration combines my leadership abilities with my desire to improve healthcare systems and have a positive influence on the larger organization. I’ve made wonderful connections with Bloustein School professors who have helped me in various ways, from suggesting internships to interacting with people in healthcare systems. These opportunities have shaped my aspiration to become a healthcare leader who understands the system from multiple angles—clinical, administrative, and corporate.”
Finding Voice, Building Change: A Path to Policy and Community
“Don’t be intimidated by the small size of the public policy major. There are a lot of opportunities at Rutgers that policy students would be interested in. Use the resources available and don’t limit yourself. I started my college career thinking I would only be willing to work in LGBTQ+ policy, but through the work I’ve done and the classes I’ve taken at Rutgers, I realized I want to focus on the broader topics of social justice and community action.”
From Transit Curiosity to Urban Impact
“My experiences using public transit in NJ and NY made me curious about how towns and cities were designed and why certain places are more car-dependent than others. After taking Methods of Planning and Analysis, I began discussing ideas and existing research on basic needs insecurity with Professor Bernadette Baird-Zars. Joining her research team and studying integration and affordable housing helped shape my interest in pursuing a career that works with underserved communities to create change at the local scale.”
Real Problems Inspire Real Solutions: Transforming Healthcare
“I really like when professors make you think critically and apply real-world situations to the lectures. Healthcare is complicated, and making things easy isn’t doing anyone any favors. Thinking critically is important in this field. Independent doctor offices are being swallowed up by corporate medical chains, and running a medical practice has become so convoluted and confusing that it’s almost impossible to be independent. I want to make things better and make healthcare more accessible, affordable, and fair—for doctors and patients alike.”
Bridging Technology and Policy Through Public Service
If you’re interested in public service in any form, give the public policy major—or at least the intro classes—a try. It’s a comprehensive major with a variety of courses that target different policy areas, such as healthcare, disability, education, and more. Students can discover new pathways that may be intriguing to them. I also learned how to adapt my writing and communication skills more efficiently for a policy or public service-oriented space, which is invaluable no matter your career.”