MHA Degree Gives Alumnae New Perspective on Healthcare, Leadership and Resilience

Much More Than She Imagined

When Sarah Kemp pursued the Bellevue University Master of Healthcare Administration program, she never imagined that the experience would also help guide her through one of the most challenging times of her life. The skills and information she acquired throughout her program equipped her to excel in her career while also addressing family medical situations.

Taking on a New Challenge

While working in home care as a supervisor, coordinating care and supporting caregivers, Kemp felt she could do more. “I wanted to better understand how I could make a bigger difference; not just in day-to-day operations, but in improving systems and outcomes for patients and families,” she said.

As Kemp explored options, she found Bellevue University through her supervisor and a partnership with her company. “I needed a program that would allow me to continue working while still pushing me to grow,” she said. “I knew I wanted to do more, but I needed the education and structure to get there.”

As a resident of Ohio, Kemp also found that the online option provided much-needed flexibility. “Bellevue University felt like the right fit because it was built for people who are balancing real life with their education,” she said.

Real Life Collides With Learning

Kemp quickly learned that she’d apply her MHA program in more ways than she thought. “Very early in the program, my motivation became much more personal,” she said.

Her stepmother experienced a stroke during the first semester of her program. “I saw moments where quality was not maintained, staffing was short, concerns from families were not always heard, and symptoms were sometimes overlooked, which led to complications that could have been prevented,” she said.

During the same time period, Kemp’s father experienced a rapid health decline due to complications of several conditions. “I was balancing school, a full-time job, and traveling two hours one way each week to help support them,” she said. “That season included navigating hospital care, doctor visits, hospice, and stroke recovery, while also helping both sides of my family understand how to care for both of them.”

She continued to address several additional family health and life challenges, including guiding her mother and sister through end-of-life care decisions and bringing hospice in for her stepfather, who passed away in May 2025.

“Living through all of this while studying healthcare gave me a completely different perspective,” Kemp said. “In a way, the schoolwork grounded me. It also made everything I was learning real, urgent and deeply meaningful.”

Gaining Takeaways From the Beginning

Kemp said the MHA program provided immediately applicable content. “The program helped me think more critically about healthcare systems, quality, and leadership,” she said. “It gave me language, structure and confidence in moments that were otherwise overwhelming.”

She said her professors were also helpful beyond the classroom. “I was incredibly fortunate to have professors who were understanding and supportive, which made a lasting impact on me,” she said.

Kemp said she recommends the MHA program for anyone who wants to grow in healthcare while continuing to work. “It is flexible, but still rigorous, and it prepares you in a very real way for the challenges you will face in the field,” she said.

Maintaining a Patient Focus While Growing Professionally

Kemp is now a scheduling manager, supporting home and community-based care across three counties. She returned to home healthcare after serving in a hospital scheduling role during her MHA program.

“I wanted to gain more exposure to the clinical and administrative side of healthcare,” she said. “Although that experience was valuable, I found myself missing the purpose-driven work I felt in home care; especially supporting seniors, veterans and those impacted by Alzheimer's disease.”

Kemp said her current role has expanded her impact while allowing her to connect with the populations she is most passionate about serving. Directly aligned with this, she said earning her MHA has helped her grow from managing day-to-day tasks to understanding and improving the systems behind them.

“It has strengthened my leadership skills, my decision-making and my ability to think more strategically about how care is delivered,” she said. “This experience has reinforced why I chose this field in the first place.”

Kemp also said earning her graduate degree is an accomplishment of resilience. “There were many moments where finishing or taking a break would have been easy, but I didn't. I am incredibly proud of that,” she said. ”The love and support of my family, my partner Evan, and even the quiet comfort of my two dogs carried me through some of the hardest moments.”