Welcoming the MHA Class of 2019

In August, the Iowa MHA program welcomed 20 new students to the College of Public Health Building here on campus. The MHA class of 2019 is among the most academically accomplished and diverse groups seen in the program’s 66-year history.

The incoming class is characterized by high levels of academic achievement, with nearly every student attaining undergraduate degrees either with honors, from an honors college, or as members of the Dean’s List. Impressive academic achievement, however, seems to be the extent of their similarities in the classroom, as the incoming class holds undergraduate degrees in thirteen different fields ranging from business administration to chemistry, and even history. From a geographic standpoint (and, yes, there is a geography major in the bunch!) these degrees were earned in twelve different states, including: both Dakota’s, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Washington.   

Outside of the classroom, the new students enjoy a wide variety of activities. For the fourteen students who arrived in Iowa City directly from their undergraduate studies, these interests manifested themselves in the form of on-campus leadership positions as Resident Assistants, Health Wellness and Advisory board members, student government executives, or captains of varsity sports. All of the incoming students have been active volunteers, with an especially strong contingent of Hawkeye graduates volunteering for the University of Iowa Dance Marathon.  

  

The cohort has proven quite cohesive, and have become good friends despite only having been together for just over four weeks. Such quickness to bond was undoubtedly spurred by orientation week in mid-August, which included introductions to each other, the College of Public Health, and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics executive leadership team. Among the many highlights of orientation week was participating in a challenge course that consisted of several team-building activities. The course forced the group to work together by getting everybody out of their comfort zones and has come to be regarded as one of the highlights of the orientation and on-boarding process. 

Please visit the University of Iowa Health Management and Policy Blog for reflections on orientation week, and pictures of students at the challenge course.