A veteran of the health care industry and a busy mother and grandmother, Ismari Holguin once wondered if earning her bachelor’s degree was possible.
Her desire to advance within her field inspired her to explore offerings at Barry University, which many of her friends and colleagues working in the health industry had recommended. “I heard a lot of good things about it,” she says.
She enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership program, specializing in Health Care Administration, and was thrilled to discover that what she had heard about Barry was true. Her fears of juggling school with her busy life washed away thanks to the program’s design, which was created with students like Holguin in mind. Accelerated seven-week terms, online offerings, and course credit for work experience enable adult learners to earn their degrees without neglecting life or career responsibilities. “That was exactly what I needed,” says Holguin, whose job as a respiratory therapist was demanding even before the pandemic took hold.
Now a proud 2022 graduate of the Health Care Administration program, Holguin has already experienced a major shift in her career. In June, she accepted a position as Project Manager with Baptist Health South Florida’s Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute. Working in the research department, she oversees procedures and protocols of clinical trials, ensuring that deadlines are met, and regulations are followed. She hopes to continue to grow her skills in her current role so that she can advance within the realm of research.
Holguin credits her experience at Barry for helping her earn her current role and motivate her to go further. She says that the program’s broad curriculum—including courses in persuasive speaking and public health—allowed her to realize her managerial talents. “The entire experience, particularly my public health class, really made me focus and helped me change gears into a different field,” she says. Her professors were also instrumental in supporting her aspirations, consistently making themselves available and exposing her to the great needs and opportunities that exist within the health care field.
As she settles with confidence into her new role, Holguin is already contemplating the ways she can continue to grow her talents. In the near future, she hopes to return to Barry for her master’s degree. This time, she has no reservations, no worries about her ability to juggle school and life. She has even begun recommending Barry’s HSA program to others within her field. “If you do your work and you pay attention and you read the topics, the program is easy to navigate,” she says. “It’s a great experience.”