Featured Fellowship: Allina Health

By: Mackenzie Schutz (MHA ’19)

Like many of my classmates, the last six years of my life were primarily spent in classrooms and coffeeshops learning, applying, discovering, and inquiring; packing boxes and bags to create a temporary home in new apartments and new cities; acquiring new part-time job titles to mitigate the burden of accumulating student loans; and learning new lessons through successes and failures. For me, the time has come to drop my shoulders, take a deep breath, and admit that the cliché is spot on: “Hard work pays off”. 

I am filled with excitement to be joining Allina Health for my administrative fellowship after graduation in May. Allina Health is a not-for-profit health system based in Minneapolis, MN, serving both Minnesota and western Wisconsin. I feel very fortunate to be beginning my career as the Administrative Fellow for the Allina Health Group under the guidance of Executive Vice President, Chris Bent. 

As graduation approaches I am beginning to understand more clearly that the payoff is not solely the degree or the job offer, rather, the payoff is the satisfaction I have found knowing that I am going to be beginning a career in an organization that I feel truly aligns with my values and fills me with purpose. My interest in Allina Health predates my fellowship application process, and even my acceptance into the University of Iowa MHA program. My desire to join their team as an administrative fellow began last summer through an administrative internship at New Ulm Medical Center (NUMC). NUMC is an integrated hospital and clinic within the Allina Health System. Through this experience I witnessed the converging of the practice of medicine, community health, and improved access and affordability for the patients and communities served by the Allina Health System. I admire the emphasis the Allina Health System places on their patients and employees through the Whole Person Care model. This model emphasizes the importance of building relationships with patients to allow care teams to recognize and treat all dimensions of an individual’s health. 

In addition to the organization's patient-centered approach to care delivery and design, I admire their people. Both my internship experience and the fellowship application process introduced me to a number of people throughout all levels of the organization who are strong visionaries, influencers, and community advocates. I look forward to growing personally and professionally, surrounded by leaders who value the input and foster the growth of young talent. Additionally, I am thankful for the support of the many University of Iowa MHA alumni within the organization that are so very giving of their time and mentorship. 

I feel very confident that the competencies, opportunities, and curriculum of the University of Iowa MHA program, matched with the support of faculty, staff, alumni and peers will allow me to confidently transition into my fellowship ready to learn and grow. Throughout my first year as a fellow for Allina Health I look forward to gaining exposure to a variety of roles and responsibilities of administrators such as finance, operations, strategic planning, and business development. I am eager to lead projects that align with the strategic direction of the organization in order to foster organizational growth and success. In addition, I am excited for the many opportunities ahead to grow my professional skills and build authentic relationships with leaders, providers and stakeholders of the organization. 

Lastly, Minnesota is my home and despite the fact that 3 months out of the year are too cold for comfortable living, goodbyes take twice as long, and football season is always a let-down (“uffdah!”), I am delighted to be returning to start my career as a young professional surrounded by my family and friends in a city that I love.