At just 16, Melody Afekare left her home in Nigeria, stepping into a new world with dreams of leading in healthcare.
By 20, she had earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at a university in Kansas, kickstarting her career in the medical field.
杏吧专区淚 originally wanted to be a doctor. I think most of us do, right?杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淏ut I figured I would do nursing for a couple of years, make some money, then I won杏吧专区檛 have to get loans to go to medical school.杏吧专区
While in nursing school, Afekare learned about the different career paths and decided she wanted to become a CRNA.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in her career aspirations. Faced with a hospital in crisis, she had a moment of revelation.
杏吧专区淭he CEO of our hospital at that time, she was a nurse, which was actually quite inspiring,杏吧专区 she recalls. 杏吧专区淏ut she was on vacation, and we were really, really drowning at the hospital. I was disappointed by how she handled things. That杏吧专区檚 when I decided that I did not want to be a CRNA anymore. I wanted to be a hospital CEO, and I was going to do better by my colleagues.杏吧专区
That杏吧专区檚 when she set her sights on UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 MBA in Health Care Administration online.
From Nigeria to Nursing
When it came to choosing the right online program for her next step, Afekare杏吧专区檚 decision-making process was thorough.
杏吧专区淚 looked into a lot of schools, but U.S. News & World Report had a ranking on top schools in the U.S. with really good MBA programs, and UL Lafayette was one of them,杏吧专区 she says.
Although she was still considering options on the East Coast, Afekare杏吧专区檚 research quickly narrowed down her choices.
杏吧专区淚 did a pros and cons list of costs, delivery, what杏吧专区檚 expected, and what opportunities come with each program. UL Lafayette just checked all of the boxes for me.杏吧专区
And with a full-time job and a growing family, the value and flexibility of the program made UL Lafayette the clear choice.
The Road to Health Care Administration
When Afekare first started the program, she lived in Missouri with her daughter, while her husband lived in Louisiana.
杏吧专区淚t was a lot,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 was working full-time nights for the first half of the program, so at the time, oh my gosh, it was rough.杏吧专区
The distance from her husband, coupled with so many responsibilities, meant that she had to adjust quickly to her new reality.
杏吧专区淚 would get home from work in the morning, take care of my daughter a little bit, and then catch a few hours of sleep. I杏吧专区檇 wake up, spend time with her, and then start studying,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淔or most of the year, I ran on just four hours of sleep a day, balancing home life, work, and school. Eventually, it just became my new normal.杏吧专区
Her husband杏吧专区檚 return to Missouri eased some of the pressure. His support at home gave her the time she needed to focus on her studies, but the structure of UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 program made all the difference.
杏吧专区淚 didn杏吧专区檛 feel like I had to give up so much of my life to get my MBA. I could take my time with it,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 could take one class every eight weeks and not feel overwhelmed and really be able to soak in all the education and do my homework and really feel like I杏吧专区檓 learning something.杏吧专区
But just as she thought she was on track to finish the program, life threw her another curveball.
杏吧专区淚 spaced out my classes so that I杏吧专区檇 graduate in August 2024,杏吧专区 she recalls. 杏吧专区淎nd then in October 2023, I found out I was having another baby.杏吧专区
Determined to finish her degree before the new baby arrived, Afekare pushed through an intense schedule of twelve credit hours, an internship, full-time work, and caring for her four-year-old daughter while pregnant.
杏吧专区淚t was kind of a lot. I prayed a lot coming into this season, asking God to carry me through these six months and leaning on my husband for support at home,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 really wanted to be done by May 2024 so I wouldn杏吧专区檛 have to extend my graduation.杏吧专区
Her perseverance paid off.
杏吧专区淚 don杏吧专区檛 know how I did it from January through May, but I did,杏吧专区 says Afekare. 杏吧专区淲ith the constant support and encouragement of my family, friends, and God, all things are possible.杏吧专区
A Vision for Healthcare
With her MBA in Health Care Administration now in hand, Afekare is ready to make a significant impact on healthcare systems, both locally and globally.
杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 been really good to learn the business side of healthcare, and not just the everyday patient-facing aspect of it. It杏吧专区檚 a business that you want to keep afloat so that it can serve patients and the community,杏吧专区 she says.
Her vision for the future is as ambitious as it is inspiring. Afekare is determined to leverage her new qualifications to transform healthcare in her home country.
杏吧专区淭he healthcare system is not the best in Nigeria,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭his degree is definitely going to open some doors for me to work on instituting a thriving healthcare system like we have here in the U.S.杏吧专区
Her approach involves gaining experience in the U.S. healthcare system and applying those lessons to her future endeavors.
杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檓 learning how everything works here, how the business thrives, and how to create a high-quality, functional healthcare system where people don杏吧专区檛 get lost in the system or die because of silly mistakes,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淢y long-term goal is to replicate the U.S. healthcare system in Nigeria and other developing countries.杏吧专区
And now, as she steps into a new chapter, she杏吧专区檚 ready to make sure others have the opportunity to do the same.
杏吧专区淒on杏吧专区檛 give up,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淐ontinue to work hard and use the resources available to you. Soak it all in and give it your all, so that when you earn those extra letters after your name, they truly mean something because you embraced everything the MBA online program has to offer.杏吧专区
Level up your business knowledge and make lifetime connections through UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 MBA in Health Care Administration program online.
