Joycee Jacob

Tell us about your career trajectory before, during, and after the program.

Ten years ago I started my career in Healthcare Administration as a Manager at NYU Langone Health and worked my way up to Director. During the program, my role expanded to Regional Director of Ambulatory Operations, as I became more confident in taking on increased responsibilities. The structure and evidence-based framework provided by the MHA program helps me make strategic, innovative decisions in my career and think outside the box. 

Why were you drawn to the Online MHA program? 

The Online MHA program was a unique opportunity to balance work, career and family. I was able to easily adjust my life around the program because my class schedule in the evenings was consistent. The ability to take classes from home gave me flexibility to take care of my family and focus on school. The reputation and the leadership expertise of the professors and administration within the Wagner network also influenced my decision.          

What was your favorite part of the program or something that you did not expect?

Since this was an online program, I did not expect that I would get to know my colleagues and professors as well as I did. The class discussions and group projects fostered an environment of teamwork throughout the program and allowed us to build lasting relationships. The best part of this program was becoming part of the NYU Wagner community and learning from very successful healthcare leaders who have ignited change in their own careers. The diverse backgrounds of students added various perspectives to learn from in every class and we were able to see a 360 degree view as we deepened our knowledge of Healthcare Administration. During the immersion weekend, we were able to spend time in classes with faculty and students in New York City.

How do you hope to apply what you learned in the program to your career in healthcare?

The MHA program provides a balanced curriculum that covers all sectors of Healthcare and allows you to learn how they are all connected. It has helped me build a strong foundation in relationship management, finance and data analytics, which complimented my years of experience. It also expanded my knowledge on the impact of healthcare policy and population health on operations management.  I've learned to collaborate with different stakeholders and develop key performance indicators in order to translate complex operational concepts into executable action plans. I frequently apply these concepts in my daily work and I look forward to utilizing all the competencies I've developed during the MHA program.