S TUD E N T S Making a Difference Through Healthcare
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student fast facts
Margaret Tuff Robinson As a child, I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up. My mind quickly changed after completing freshmen biology. That was over thirty years ago. I knew I wanted a career in health care, but it was unclear in what area. What better way to explore the possibilities than to work at a healthcare center! For the past twenty-five years I have worked as an administrator at academic healthcare institutions including Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (Cleveland, Ohio), Meharry Medical College (Nashville, Tennessee), and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In Nashville, as administrator for the Chief of Medicine at Nashville General Hospital, who was also on staff at Vanderbilt, I observed the disparity in healthcare received by patients treated at Vanderbilt, an elite private facility and those who received care at the Meharry clinic, a historically black healthcare institution. Additionally, I was able to observe the inferior quality of customer service and the seemingly poor quality of care provided to patients, especially the elderly at the indigent clinic at Meharry. This experience restored my passion for wanting to make a difference, which I believe will be possible as a healthcare administrator. I started taking healthcare-related classes at a local university and later moved to Omaha, where I completed my undergraduate degree in the spring 2011through the Division of Continuing Studies. My degree is in healthcare administration with a minor concentration in gerontology. My mentors, Dr. Lyn Holley and Dr. Richard Stacy, encouraged me to pursue my education. I have started in the UNO MPA program with a concentration in Healthcare Administration. At the undergraduate level, I was able to complete 21 hours in Spring 2011, but was not aware this would be difficult at the graduate level. To meet expectations for graduate level work, I have had to modify study techniques, social life, and personal obligations. This semester, I am enrolled for only six hours [PA8010 (Thiele) and 8050 (Ebdon)]. Additionally, having completed most of my undergraduate coursework online, I am finding the classroom setting very beneficial. A lasting network and valued friendships are on the horizon. My long term goal is to own a residential home for older adults. My short term goal is to complete the MPA program by December 2012.
2010 International Muskie Fellow Student, Talgat Ayapbergenov earned 2 gold and 2 bronze medals in swimming aquatics at the Cornhusker’s State Games. Doctoral student Michael George received an honorable mention award at the E-PARCC Fourth Annual Teaching Case and Simulation Competition held at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University Collaborative Governance Initiative for his piece on “An Exercise in Environmental Collaborative Planning.” Jason Terreri, Aviation property specialist in the Properties and Airline Affairs department, has been invited by the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) to be a part of the AAE NextGeneration Leaders project.
CPM Student Uses Experience to Help Nonprofits “Broadcast” Their Missions Bryan Freeman Bryan Freeman is a Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (formerly American Humanics) Certified Nonprofit Manager and Leader with 23 years radio broadcasting experience. He holds a Bachelor’s of General Studies in nonprofit administration, an associate degree in legal assisting. As a professional broadcaster, Mr. Freeman helped several public and private corporations successfully further their missions as a Promotions Director, PSA Director and Announcer. He has successfully managed and operated a commercial radio station as the VP of Operations by leasing the frequency and using volunteers as staff and served in management positions such as Program Director, Assistant Program Director, and Music Director. It was through these experiences that Bryan developed a passion for helping the community. In January 2010, Bryan began attending the Nebraska Certified Public Managers Program® at UNO where he spearheaded the Plan C initiative to help the floundering foster care system meet the needs of its exiting children. While attending the program, Bryan learned skills that helped him learn the value of true leadership and how to manage the process of creating a new
nonprofit organization from the ground up. In that same year, the Nebraska Foster care system privatized, changing its processes and his plan to create a transitional living center for aging out foster children was put on hold. Using his newly acquired skills in being a “change agent”, Bryan returned to the program in 2011 with a plan to help nonprofit organizations better “broadcast their missions.” His current project, a requirement in completing the program, is called “Rolling the Dice: Broadcasting the Mission of Nonprofits”, explores and proposes that a new business model for advertising agencies be created to meet 21 century the needs of nonprofit organizations. Upon completion, Bryan will graduate on December 9, 2011 with his fellow cohorts. In his spare time, Bryan enjoys cooking Spanish food, especially Paella, watching College and NFL football and is a proud Houston Texans Fan. Bryan is married to his very talented and loving wife, Debbie, who graduated Summa Cum Laude and holds a Bachelors in Business Leadership from the College of St. Mary, and is the father of three children, Ashley, Alex, David and several other children as foster parents.