After beginning Lehman College in the fall of 2011 with the goal of obtaining a degree in nursing, I quickly discovered that the economic realities of a college education were not possible for me at that time. I withdrew from school and worked as a paralegal to pay my bills and help pay down my college debt.It wasn’t until 2015, a year after I had my first child, that I was able to return to Lehman College to complete my degree. I worked diligently to complete 3 semesters there, and then I transferred to the College of New Rochelle to complete my B.S. in Nursing.
However, working fulltime as a Nursing Technician while completing my first semester in nursing school definitely strained my efforts to successfully complete my degree. Reflecting on my goals and aspirations and truly thinking about where I saw myself in 5-10 years. I realized that Health Service Administration is a better fit for my personality and my future goals. Professionally, this field allows me to work outside of the clinical setting while still helping others through healthcare.
After careful consideration, I re-enrolled fulltime at Lehman College in the summer of 2018 with a cumulative GPA of 3.3. While it is not easy to balance a full-time job with school work while also raising a child, I know that this juggling act will be well worth it in the end. Moreover, I’m confident that my maturity and self-determination importantly contribute to my success.
My passion for working with the elderly population was initiated during my time as an intern at Beth Abraham Adult Day Care, which was organized through Lehman’s BW-AHEC program. The elderly has a wealth of knowledge that they love to share about life and their experiences. Working with the elderly is incredibly rewarding, as the caregiver is involved with so many aspects of their life. When compared to other specialty areas in health care, there is a considerable lack of individuals who focus on the elderly. The demand for aged care workers continues to increase as the population ages. Even as other market segments are affected by the ups and downs of the global economy, work in aged care receives a boost in demand because the elderly population is increasing making employment in the field secure.
One of my goals after graduating Lehman College is to pursue my Masters in Public Health with a focus in Health Policy and Management. After about five years of working in the field, my dream is to open my own Adult Day Care to serve the elderly population in underserved communities.
HCC is a great way to connect with people, network, and gain the experience and skills that I will need when applying for jobs after graduation. My ideal internship experience would enable me to work with seasoned professionals to learn more about human resources, financial budgeting, and/or any managerial responsibilities.
I should be selected for this internship because I am self-motivated, passionate, committed, and dedicated. I would be honored to be considered as a candidate for an HCC internship. Such an opportunity would provide me with the exposure I need to continue to pursue a career in healthcare.
