Sarah Beery wasn’t sure if college was for her.
The daughter of a mother who didn’t finish high school and a father who was a farmer throughout his childhood, Beery had to chart her own educational path as a first-generation college student.
The cardiac sonographer has done just that, carving out a clinical healthcare career by using ultrasound technology to create images of the heart.
But Beery aspires to be a CEO of a healthcare organization one day, and she enrolled in LSUS’s Master of Health Administration program to gain the necessary business and management knowledge to pair with her clinical experience.
The Minnesota resident landed a summer administrative residency with Allina Health, where she’ll put that knowledge to the test with one of the premier health organizations in that state.
“The program is designed for first-year MHA students to get hands-on administrative experience and exposure to current healthcare challenges,” Beery said. “I will be in the corporate office working with the leadership team.
“In my current (sonography) role, I have the opportunity to precept sonography students in the clinical phase of their program. I’ve gained insight into how cardiac imaging departments differ or mimic each other in the way they are managed and operated, and I’ve learned how poor leaders and great leaders have made me feel.”
Multiple colleagues recommended the LSUS MHA program to Beery, who started taking online classes this past fall.
“I was confident that LSUS was a great school to attend, and my experience has been nothing short of exceptional,” Beery said. “The staff are kind, responsive, and informative.
“The professors do a great job of pushing you to be the best version of yourself. Though they have high expectations, you can tell that they want everyone to grow into well-educated professionals.”
Beery said her current strategic management class has particularly sparked her interest.
“It’s helped me see administration from a different perspective,” Beery said. “I have been learning how to understand competition and survive in an overpopulated market of competition.
“This has sparked a new realm of curiosity and passion for instilling change and new ideas as a future administrator.”
As a busy healthcare professional, Beery said LSUS’s asynchronous online platform which gives her flexibility to plan when she’ll complete her coursework was a key factor in her school choice.
“It’s a huge factor because it allows me to control my schedule,” Beery said. “Fellow students and academic advisors are helpful in letting you know which courses may be harder or require more time, which is great if you know that you have a busy term outside of the course and need to plan accordingly.
“I also appreciate the flexibility that online courses provide because you can work at own pace and can still work or attend events that may not otherwise be possible with in-person classes.”
Online graduate education is a big leap for someone who had to teach themselves how to navigate college life and resources when she started.
“I did not have much guidance on how to apply for college or how to obtain government assistance when I first started, so I ended up working two part-time jobs while I attended school and paid off my education while I was taking classes,” Beery said. “It wasn’t until my bachelor’s degree that I became familiar with FAFSA or who I needed to ask for guidance.
“I am very proud to be a first-generation student pursuing a master’s degree. My best advice for other first-generation students is to first believe in yourself, and second, remember that you are capable of doing anything you set your mind to.”
Beery said she was encouraged to pursue her master’s degree by a specific professor in her undergraduate program at Oregon Institute of Technology, and she aims to build up others as a healthcare leader.
“Having that positive experience, I want to lead people and encourage others to believe in themselves,” Beery said. “Organizations are business-minded, but I strive to find a way to ensure consumers and employees feel as though they are truly valued, cared for, and seen as an asset to the organization. From the updates I receive and read from current hospital CEOs and listening to how people talk about their dissatisfaction with them, I crave to fill the gap and change the minds of employees who are on the front lines.”
