Alumni Success Stories

Denise Williams 

What year (years) did you graduate and which program(s) did you complete?

I graduated in August 2009 with a bachelor’s of science in Integrated Health Studies with a concentration in Healthcare Administration and a minor in Business and Management.

What were some of your biggest challenges after graduating that shaped your career?

One of the biggest challenges after graduating would be finding a job that is the right fit. Healthcare Administration is so broad and it is very hard to pinpoint the best jobs that you would be good at based on just a job description. I worked a few temporary assignments. One of those assignments is how I landed my current position at Summa Health System. In 2010, I took two assignments with Spherion for Summa Health System as a Medical Secretary and a Referral Account Specialist. Both assignments helped me to provide two wonderful references to speak highly of my capabilities and my character as a potential employee.

What has been your most significant professional accomplishment since
graduating?

Recently I awarded funding by the Office of the National Coordinator to continue my education in the realm of Health Information Technology. I will be pursuing a graduate certificate in Healthcare Information Management from Oregon Health and Science University in April 2012. Tuition is 100 percent paid upon completion, and I will be able to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator exam from AHIMA. I hope to apply the credits earned in this opportunity to a master’s degree in Biomedical Informatics. Also, I was named president of the United Way Neighborhood Leadership Institute Alumni Association.

Are you currently employed, and if so, where?

Currently, I am employed at Summa Health System as an Ambulatory Site Coordinator at Summa Health Center at Lake Medina.