An official publication of the University of Illinois Chicago Master of Healthcare Administration program
Further Growth of the UIC MHA Program
The 2023-24 academic year was very positive and eventful for our UIC MHA students, alumni, and faculty. Our students demonstrated strong leadership skills through their capstone work, taking the lead in coordinating events, including the AFHA Mentoring Event and CHEF/ACHE Networking Event, and participation at the ACHE Congress The UIC Alumni Council launched a new sponsorship award, sending two MHA students to attend Becker’s Annual Meeting We also launched a Mock Interview Event over the summer, which was a huge success Many thanks to the faculty members and alumni who participated Exciting things are on the horizon this academic year Our faculty is busy creating new knowledge through their research, and we recently launched a new, innovative course, Project Management for Health Professions. New UIC MHA faculty member, Jennifer Scalise, developed the course and is teaching it this fall. In addition, we are welcoming four new, full-time faculty members into the Health Policy and Administration division.
Adam
Adam Andersen, DPT, MBA
UIC MHA Program Director
STUDENTS
In July we had a successful inaugural Mock Interview event for our students. Sixteen students participated in networking and 3 rounds of One-On-One interviews with community partners (Alumni, Advisory Board Members, Practitioner Faculty and Preceptors)
Prior to the event, participating students enrolled in the Fellowship Support Program were matched with leaders who are either in a fellowship currently or who have completed one in the last 5 years. Non-Fellowship seeking students where matched to community partners All students were sent a generic job description that interviewers reviewed Each student had 20 minutes to interview and receive brief feedback each round from their interviewer.
Overall, it was a meaningful and fun learning experience for all and we look forward to the event next summer
Students met one on one with interviewers from Healthcare
Three rounds of interviews
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STUDENT EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
SAVE THE DATE(S)
October 9 – 11, 2024: The 29th Annual Everett V. Fox Student Case Competition, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. MHA Alumna Heather AfriyieBassuah is the Case Competition Co-chair, and our 2024 team members are: Aaliyah Tinsley, Bella Aguayo, and Shiriah Acolatse (Alternate: Maleyah Johnson)
November 12, 2024: ACHE CHEF Networking Event: Paving the Way for Leadership & Innovation, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM, UIC STUDENT CENTER WEST. Open to all health care/professions degree-seeking students and early careerists. RSVP: https://chefchicago.org/meetinginfo.php?id=38&ts=1724083365
February 19 – 21, 2025: The 19th Annual UAB Health Administration Case Competition, Birmingham, AL. Team TBD.
Impassioned leader about the accessibility of quality preventive and primary health care to all
ALUMNI
Thank you to all our alumni (pictured to the left) who gave of their time to help us with the inaugural Mock Interview event in July for our current MHA students. We cannot put into words how grateful we are that you gave back to your future fellow alums, especially in the busy months of the summer
General feedback has been that this was a great opportunity to give back to and gain experience on future colleagues and leaders in the field.
It is never too early to plan, so please let us know if you are interested in participating in 2025
Continue to let us know what you would like to have the program do for our twentieth year celebration (first class matriculated in 2005)
FACULTY
We are so excited to welcome Imani R Lewis, PCMH CCE, and UIC HPA Alumna (MPH & MHA), who joined us this Fall as Adjunct Faculty for the course Sociocultural Dimensions of Health Disparities Research (HPA 464) Imani adds this new role to her already long list of services, as she currently participates as a representative of the MHA Alumni Council
Imani is currently the Director at Sellers Dorsey, Medicaid Consulting Services, having most recently held the role of Chief Strategy Officer at a prominent provider of community-based primary healthcare in Chicago, which operates a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). There, she spearheaded strategic initiatives focused on addressing health disparities, enhancing medical, dental, and social services, improving behavioral health outcomes, and meeting the nutritional needs of underserved populations. Imani brings extensive leadership experience in healthcare, spanning both provider and managed care organizations.
Before her tenure at Sellers Dorsey, Imani also served as Vice President of Quality Improvement for Centene’s Illinois Health Plan, Meridian. In this capacity, she oversaw accreditation and regulatory processes, program management, and quality performance for over one million individuals across nine lines of business, including Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, Medicare-Medicaid (MMP), Foster Care, and Health Insurance Marketplace products
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Practitioner Faculty Spotlight
We are proud to introduce our preceptor, Jennifer Scalise, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, in her new role with the program as Adjunct Faculty. Jennifer is a dynamic and accomplished healthcare professional, with a robust background in project management. Her wealth of knowledge and expertise is showcased as the instructor for the Project Management for Health Professionals course, just launched this year.
Throughout her professional career, Jennifer has consistently demonstrated growth and progression. She began as a Medical Technologist in the clinical laboratories at Northwestern Medicine, where she gained valuable insights into the importance of patient-focused care, and showcased her ability to drive positive change Jennifer than pivoted to a role as a Strategic Sourcing Manager in the Supply Chain Department, she honed her negotiation skills and contributed to the organization’s productivity and cost effectiveness She was recruited by the Northwestern Medicine Project Management Office, where she focused on merger and acquisition projects, and spearheaded several key strategic initiatives for the organization. Currently, Jennifer serves as a Program Director for Northwestern Medicine with responsibilities for the systemwide programmatic growth and project portfolio for Radiation Oncology
Additionally, Jennifer is an active member of the Chicago Health Executives Forum (CHEF), a local chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), where she co-chairs the Membership and Advancement Committee
Please join us in welcoming Jennifer, as Adjunct Faculty within the UIC School of Public Health community
With a passion for life-long learning and the development of the future generation of health leaders, Jennifer’s industry involvement extends beyond her professional roles.
