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AUPHA Featured Faculty

By Chris Anne Sanyer posted 05-10-2016 10:47

  

Amber L. Stephenson
Clarkson University
Healthcare Management MBA

What's your educational background? Why did you choose your area(s) of study? What did you do before entering academe?

My doctoral degree is in administration and leadership studies, an interdisciplinary program housed in the departments of sociology and economics. My master's degree is in public health with a concentration in health care administration. Health, particularly in the context of wellness and fitness, was my first love. Studying public health and health administration in graduate school supported a natural progression of my interests, undergraduate training, and skills. In terms of the terminal degree, I deliberately chose a program that offered a broader understanding of social and organizational behavior that could be applied in multiple contexts. 

Prior to my role as assistant professor, I was the director and senior research associate of Temple University's Nonprofit Evaluation Services and Training (NEST) program. With NEST, I managed research, evaluation, grant writing, and capacity building exercises for partner organizations like the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, United Way, National Park Service, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania Department of Aging, and the US-Japan Foundation. During this time, I was an instructor for the College of Education at Temple University and an instructor for the Master of Organizational Leadership program through the College of Business at Alvernia University.

Before my experiences at Temple University, I was a program analyst for several statewide health initiatives through the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare's Office of Medical Assistance (Medicaid) Programs in the Bureau of Policy Analysis and Planning. For six years, I worked with a federal 1115 demonstration waiver program called SelectPlan for Women and was also responsible for an annual report submitted to the House and Senate that assessed health coverage and service utilization for Pennsylvania children with disabilities.

What is your current position and what made you choose your current program?

I am currently an assistant professor of management in the Healthcare Management MBA program at Clarkson University. I was instantly attracted to the forward-thinking, close-knit community of scholars that exists here at Clarkson's Capital Region Campus. In addition, it was clear that the program invested in resources designed to assist faculty cultivate and deliver a high value product. For example, as we offer flexible courses through online and hybrid options, faculty are provided tremendous support from our director of online learning, who is a leading practitioner in her field.

What is unique about your program, faculty, and students?

When I joined the program, I was immediately impressed with the existing and expansive network connections with local, regional, and even national industry partners. This not only deeply roots our program's curriculum in the modern and dynamic landscape of healthcare, but also is a substantial benefit to our students in terms of potential future opportunities. Our program is distinctive in its accessibility and in the personal attention we can offer each student; we truly are a student-centric operation. We also offer, along with two partner institutions, the Leadership in Medicine (LIM) program. With the LIM program, students receive their bachelor's degree from Union College, their master's degree with us, and their medical degree from Albany Medical School in a timeframe of eight years.

Our faculty seamlessly meld the world of the applied and that of the academic. Our faculty is comprised of former healthcare industry executives, scholar academics, and researchers alike. While many programs are likely privileged with such a distribution, I believe us to be unique in our synergy, open and collegial organizational culture, as well as our sense of shared ownership over the program.

In terms of our students, they are exceptional. Our students are bright, inquisitive, and committed. As our program director and fellow AUPHA member John Huppertz notes, our students "strive to do well, and to do good." They excel within their roles, but are also committed to making an impact.

Is your program AUPHA Certified or CAHME Accredited?

Yes, CAHME Accredited.

How has this distinction affected your program?

The best students, the ones most committed to healthcare management, are seeking accredited programs, and CAHME helps us stand out. But even more important, being CAHME accredited means delivering on the promised quality of the program, and CAHME's rigorous competency-based evaluation helps keep us focused.

What trends do you see occurring in your program and in the field?

If looking at higher education from a macro perspective, a continuing trend is the need for flexibility and creative new multimodal program delivery methods. If examining business and management programs like that of our Healthcare MBA, an emergent trend is the demand for leaders who can think analytically and display innovative problem-solving capabilities in an increasingly global environment.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing your program?

In February 2016, we experienced the merger of Union Graduate College into Clarkson University. With this merger now complete, we find ourselves in a position of great opportunity. We now have an expanded geographical footprint, a large and dedicated alumni network, and increased opportunity for faculty collaboration. We're learning to work within a large university system, after being a very small independent institution, which is a challenge for all of us.

Which AUPHA benefit has been the most valuable to your program?

The Annual Meeting has been an important benefit to the program, both for learning and networking. It is important for our program to see what our colleagues are doing, how they are adapting to the changes in the field, and the creativity and innovation brought by passionate people.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment during your tenure at your current program?

I joined Union Graduate College, now Clarkson University, in August 2015. At the time, I was at the tail end of a multi-year panel study that I had been conducting since 2013. Concurrently, I was also transitioning from the administrative side of higher education (director/senior research associate) to tenure line faculty. Like any new faculty member, my concern and subsequent focus was on ensuring the right allocation of time to the various aspects of the new role. I am pleased that, during my transition year, I was able to complete the study, submit multiple manuscripts, create and teach three new course preps, and – most importantly – establish myself as a resource to our students, particularly in the area of research. I feel that my greatest accomplishment was sustaining what I had in motion already, while taking on the challenges of my new role and successfully navigating both. I greatly look forward to my continued affiliation with the program, the opportunity to provide a value-added experience to our students, to serve the school and my colleagues, and to aggressively pursue my research agenda.

What might your fellow AUPHA members be surprised to know about you?

I'm a former athlete having played softball and soccer competitively. These days, I am a daily casual jogger (not a runner) and a gym junkie. I also have an appreciation for paper maps and don't actually own a GPS.

If making a living were not a consideration, what would you be doing instead or what would you do in retirement?

My husband and I have discussed this question at length! I can say, without pause, and he would wholeheartedly agree, that if making a living were not a consideration, I would happily choose to be conducting research and teaching as I am now. Never before have I experienced a professional role where I felt so connected to the work.


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