Spring always brings new beginnings and new possibilities, and this is certainly so for many healthcare administration students from across the US – and particularly here in Wisconsin. As students graduate and look to begin their blossoming careers as healthcare administrators, I am struck by the barriers new graduates face in entering the workplace. While true that the healthcare landscape and roles of leaders in healthcare continue to change faster than spring temperatures in Wisconsin, we as Wisconsin ACHE members could and should be doing so much more to foster the growth and development of new healthcare leaders.
Never was this more evident than the time I spent with my ACHE Regent colleagues and ACHE student members at the 2017 ACHE Congress. As Regents, I heard their ACHE membership began while in graduate school and their membership has been so valuable to their careers and career advancement. At the same time, much like our struggles to hire and retain talent in our organizations, I was also struck by recent ACHE studies that show ACHE is losing too many members in the first 2 years of membership. Likewise, I spoke with so many eager ACHE student members who are struggling to find internships and administrative fellowships opportunities. In fact, they struggle to even make contact with any current healthcare leaders who can coach and mentor them on their career path. All this leads them to question the value of their ACHE membership.
The students’ struggles were validated for me when our ACHE District 3 Regent-at-Large, Irita B. Matthews, JD, FACHE provided an update on ACHE’s partnership with the Institute for Diversity’s “Summer Enrichment Program.” While there were over 50 students who applied to participate in the Summer Enrichment Program, there are only 5 organizations who have signed up to take a student. And, of the 11 states representing ACHE’s District 3, only 3 organizations have committed to host a student this summer. Thankfully, 2 of those 3 organizations are here in Wisconsin. I am happy to share that I am, one of these 2 host sites – my second consecutive year hosting a student.
As all of our organizations commit to create a more diverse workforce and more diverse leadership teams, I am calling you to honor this commitment and the commitment you made to advance healthcare management excellence – as an ACHE member. Please follow the link below to sign up to be a host site. There are at least 40 students currently looking for summer internships. Let’s make Wisconsin the #1 host state for the Institute for Diversity’s Summer Enrichment Program!
Follow the hyperlink to the ACHE website for the Summer Enrichment Program, to learn more: http://www.ache.org/policy/IFD_Summer_Enrichment_Program.cfm
Follow the hyperlink to the Institute for Diversity in Healthcare Management website to register and become a host site: http://www.diversityconnection.org/diversityconnection/education/education-SEP-Program-Overview.jsp?fll=S4&sll=S40
Best Wishes!
Andrew M. Hillig, FACHE
Regent for Wisconsin
