A new partnership helps students pursue the business side of healthcare
Business students like Chloe Jaeger who want real-world experience in healthcare management can do that in Ames, thanks to a new partnership between the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business and Mary Greeley Medical Center. The two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding, effective March 1, to help students combine their passions for business and healthcare and to open the door to paid healthcare management internships during college.
Jaeger, a junior in healthcare management, comes from a family of healthcare professionals.
Her parents, who live in Waconia, Minnesota, west of Minneapolis, have been her inspiration. “My dad was the director of nursing at Good Samaritan in Waconia for 25 years. My mom is a speech pathologist and is the director of pediatric rehab at Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. My sister is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Because of them, I’ve always had a passion for the healthcare industry, but I knew I didn’t want to be a doctor or nurse.”
Thanks to the new partnership, Jaeger is participating in an internship with Story County Public Health, which is part of Mary Greeley.
“One thing I have been so impressed with is how everyone at Mary Greeley encourages the interns to job shadow people in other departments,” Jaeger said. “This is giving me an incredible opportunity to learn about many departments and to network with other people in the hospital.”
Because of this agreement, Jaeger looks forward to a second internship with Mary Greeley this summer. Her second internship will be focused on quality management, which is a topic Jaeger said really interested her during her first class in the program. “A big moment for me was when I learned that quality management is in everything, every department, every day.”
The new agreement between the hospital and college opens doors for many students to participate in healthcare management internships at a nationally ranked, high-performing hospital here in Ames.
“Ivy is a great place to get a healthcare management degree because of our partnership with Mary Greeley,” said Natallia Gray, associate teaching professor of management and healthcare management program director. “While we don’t have a medical school or hospital on campus, we are collaborating with an outstanding hospital with a nationwide reputation for providing high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services located within a seven-minute drive from campus.”
The partnership is good for Mary Greeley, too.
“We are thrilled to strategically identify business needs in our organization where internships make sense. Additionally, we know the importance of a quality internship experience and how that impacts both our organization and career choices for students,” said Tammy Stegman, workforce engagement program manager at Mary Greeley.
As part of the new agreement, Mary Greeley will offer paid internship opportunities aligned with Ivy’s healthcare management curriculum. The internships are awarded on a competitive basis. Mary Greeley will be solely responsible for screening, interviewing, and hiring interns in accordance with the hiring criteria established by Mary Greeley.
Students who are interested in learning more about the internships are encouraged to contact Tammy Stegman, Mary Greeley, 515-239-2486, stegman@mgmc.com or Natallia Gray, Ivy College of Business, 515- 294-2799, nagray@iastate.edu.
