Jennifer M. Tharp. Health Care Policy and Management Class of What was your undergraduate major? B.S. Ethics, History, and Public Policy

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1 Jennifer M. Tharp Class of 2014 Where is your hometown? Charleroi, Pa What was your undergraduate major? B.S. Ethics, History, and Public Policy What are your career goals? To pursue a career in healthcare administration and/or health law Why did you choose Carnegie Mellon University? I decided to attend Carnegie Mellon University as an undergraduate because of its interdisciplinary environment and excellent academics. Carnegie Mellon allowed me to pursue a Chemistry minor as part of the Science and Humanities Scholars Program while developing solid research and writing skills through my major. Why did you choose the Heinz College? I chose to apply to the Accelerated Master s Program at Heinz College because I wanted to learn more about healthcare policy and technology while developing quantitative skills that would make me a more knowledgeable and marketable manager or attorney. Because I attended Carnegie Mellon for undergraduate study, I had confidence that the school s program would be enriching as well as challenging. The coursework involves numerous opportunities for group projects as well as direct interfacing with clients in the field. What was your internship experience? I am a summer administrative resident at UPMC based in the Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI). My projects include working on a Microsoft Access database to automate the physician contracting process within HVI and assisting the Physician Services Division Legal Department with various contract- related projects. What advice can you give to others about the accelerated masters program? Before applying for the program, I recommend having the majority of your undergraduate major completed, as this will provide more flexibility in scheduling and pursuing Heinz s rich course offerings. When taking Management Science I and II, I advise entering the courses with an open mind for the challenges and opportunities

2 they have to offer, as the work will pay off in the end. Finally, I highly encourage joining organizations such as ACHE and HIMSS in your first year so as to network with early careerists and professionals that can provide invaluable mentoring and networking experiences.

3 Danielle Babb Class of 2014 Where is my hometown? Butte, MT What was your undergraduate major? I attended Allegheny College in Meadville, PA for a B.A. in Political Science. I also double minored in Psychology and Classical Studies. What are you career goals? My career goals will vary based on the pathway that I begin after graduate school. I plan on applying to the Presidential Management Fellowship and to the Mayo Clinic's Administrative Fellowship Program in the Fall of I hope to begin a career in Hospital Management or become a Federal Employee. I hope to concentrate my career on improving the patient experience while simultaneously improving the work flow processes. Why did you choose Carnegie Mellon University? Allegheny College maintains a strong relationship with Carnegie Mellon University. After my experiences at Allegheny College, I was eager to further my education at a academically rigorous university. Why did you choose Heinz College? Allegheny College allows students who have met the credit requirement for their major and minor to apply to different 3:2 programs. I was planning on finishing my undergraduate education a semester early so I began researching different options that fit my interests. I attended an information session that Heinz College hosted at Allegheny and began very eager to learn more about their programs. While I originally applied to the MSPPM program, I realized during the interview that the MSHCPM program was much better suited to my interests in the health care field. I also believed that the quantitative nature differentiated this program from other MPH and MHA programs that I was considering at the time. What was your internship experience? I have the opportunity this summer to work for the VA Pittsburgh Health System in the Veteran's Engineering Resource Center (VERC) and Office of Systems Redesign (OSR). I will work on various process improvement projects throughout the summer that will take effect locally and hopefully adapted nationally.

4 What other advice can you give about the accelerated master's program? While the accelerated master's program is challenging it also is rewarding for students who know they want to obtain a master's degree. Making sure that you are pursuing a degree that you are passionate about will make your accelerated experience worth every second. What was your favorite experience outside of the classroom? I really enjoyed going to Pirates games at PNC Park. The tickets are cheap and I had the opportunity to see my favorite team (Chicago Cubs) play a few times.

5 Keara McKenna Class of 2013 Where is my hometown? Mechanicsburg, PA Undergrad major: Economics and Political Science Goals: To continue learning and leading within organizations that take an innovative, systems- thinking approach to improving the health and wellness of all Americans. Why did you choose Carnegie Mellon University? I chose CMU for their analytic and quantitative approach to public policy, which I believed would balance out the Liberal Arts education I received at Chatham. Now, as an alumna, I find myself easily working with people inclined in either direction and able to bridge communication between the two. What was your internship experience? My internship experience was with the MITRE Corporation, a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), that does a mixture of strategic research and consulting for the federal government. That summer I developed analysis metrics for high- performing teams, as well as worked with a team to become more high performing. Interestingly, that project had little to do with the health policy aspects of my degree, but a lot to do with the management side. I learned a great deal about people, motivation and leadership, which served me well throughout graduate school and in my current position at MITRE. Advice: Be magnanimous. Surround yourself with innovative, loving people. Be generous with your time and knowledge (it will come back around to you). Take deep breaths, often if necessary, and remember that anything worth having is challenging at times.