The Naveen Jindal School of Management’s vision is to be a leading public business school recognized as an institution of choice in preparing tomorrow’s business leaders while expanding the frontiers of management knowledge. For two graduates of the Jindal School’s undergraduate and graduate healthcare management programs, this vision has become a reality.

Thanks to the knowledge and skills that Nada Hashim, MS’21, BS’20, acquired, first in the BS in Healthcare Management program and then in the MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program, she was hired by her alma mater as the program director of the undergraduate program.

Rolando Perez, MS’23, BS’20, also completed both degrees and is now a scheduling capacity analyst at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Hashim said that being a student at the Jindal School shaped how she leads today.

“I remember what it felt like to be in the classroom, eager to learn but unsure of where I fit in the larger healthcare system,” she said. “That experience helps me lead with empathy and intention. I try to design a program that’s not just about checking boxes but about helping students find purpose and confidence in their paths. Because I’ve been in their shoes, I can anticipate their needs and support their growth.”

Hashim said that one of the most impactful courses she took was Healthcare Informatics (HMGT6323) taught by Dr. Mehmet Ayvaci, an associate professor in the Information Systems Area and the area coordinator of the new Healthcare Management Area at the Jindal School.

“It helped me understand the importance of process improvement and data and how that directly ties into patient care,” she said. “But beyond the coursework, the opportunity to work on real-world projects, especially those that involved improving access for underserved communities, really shifted how I viewed my role in healthcare. Those experiences gave me a strong sense of purpose and helped me see how leadership and innovation could create real change.”

Similarly, Perez found the interactive nature of his courses instrumental in shaping his confidence and communication skills. Many of the courses Perez took involved making class presentations and doing interactive group work.

“These experiences were super critical to how I functioned as a clinical staff assistant and even today. For my current role, I give presentations and even teach classes on Epic to our clinic leaders all the time. I never used to be like this, either. When I started my bachelor’s at UTD, I was shy, introverted, and would rather do anything other than present/talk to people.”

Perez said that early on in his time at UT Dallas, he would have a panic attack if anyone said the word “group.”

“As time went on, I aimed to push myself outside that comfort zone and when I switched majors to Healthcare Management, I had no choice but to interact with people and present,” he said. “Sure, I made mistakes and it was often embarrassing for me, but the more practice I got and the better prepared I was beforehand, the easier it got.”

The skills developed in these programs are now backed by official recognition. In 2023, the Jindal School’s MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), which provides a competency-based assessment tied to program and course-level objectives and outcomes to 23 specific competencies that healthcare leaders need in order to make an immediate impact in the industry. Hashim said that, while competencies are typically associated with master’s programs, undergraduates in her program can benefit from being introduced to them early on.

“They give students a clearer picture of the skills they’ll need in the field, things like communication, leadership, and systems thinking,” she said. “Even if they’re not expected to master every competency, getting familiar with the framework helps them feel more prepared and intentional as they move through their education and into their careers.”

That sense of intentionality also guides the advice Hashim gives to students considering graduate education. She tells undergraduate healthcare management students who ask her about pursuing graduate education in healthcare administration to gain a sense of purpose about it before they proceed.

“You want to make sure it aligns with what you’re passionate about and where you see yourself making an impact,” she said. “A graduate degree can open so many doors, but it’s most powerful when you know what you want to do with it. I encourage students to explore different roles, talk to professionals in the field, and take the time to figure out what drives them.”

Now that Healthcare Management is one of seven academic areas in the Jindal School, Hashim said students in her program will benefit in multiple ways, including getting more focused support and more tailored resources, and gaining a stronger sense of community.

“This is such an exciting development,” she said. “It also raises the visibility of the field, which helps when students are networking or applying for jobs. It shows that we’re investing in healthcare leadership in a serious and structured way, and I think that really benefits our students as they build their careers.”

Perez agrees — and says that what you put into your education matters just as much as what’s offered. He said that both degrees he earned have helped him navigate the operational challenges he faces in his role at UTSW.

“Both programs presented me with opportunities to grow as a leader,” he said. “You get out of something what you put in, and I made sure to be part of everything I could while I was there.”

He was purposeful in interactions with faculty and students in his own programs as well as deans and peers from across the University. He proactively made connections with students, faculty, and executives by being heavily involved in the Jindal School’s Healthcare Management Association student organization and JSOM’s Elite Scholar and Leader Program. He was elected president of both organizations. He also served as student council vice-chair of the North Texas chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a professional society for healthcare executives and hospital directors in the United States. These and other experiences taught him the critical importance of network building, which he said is crucial to professional success.

“If you show up and put forth the effort to volunteer, network, and lead, doors will open for you automatically,” he said. “Classes are important of course, and the reason you’re there, but the people aspect is vital to being successful. Students could go into class and not talk to anyone and then graduate and that is fine for some people, but it’s critical to healthcare operations that we are able to communicate to others.”

Although stepping outside of his comfort zone wasn’t easy, Perez says it made all the difference. The experiences he had at the Jindal School were so fruitful that he advises students to take advantage of as many of the opportunities presented to them as they can.

“Don’t be afraid to make a mistake, as long as you learn from it.” – Rolando Perez

Dr. Keith Thurgood, a professor of practice in the Organizations, Strategy and International Management Area at the Jindal School and director of its MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management program, describes the current healthcare industry as a VUCA environment: volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. He learned this operational construct as a major general in the U.S. Army.

“Framing healthcare in this way helps my students understand that they will have to work in a complex, unsettled environment,” he said. “I prepare my students to operate under these conditions by providing them with student-centric, market-relevant, experiential learning, engaged healthcare industry partners and personalized leadership development. Nada and Rolando are powerful examples of the leaders that this program produces. They are well equipped to take on a VUCA healthcare system.”