At the beginning of the program, first-year students will attend a formal dinner at a local restaurant with the program leadership team to learn about dining etiquette. As business dinners are a common occurrence in the health administration field, the goal is to give students the opportunity to learn and practice before entering the workforce.

Lean Six Sigma is a methodology for improving processes by reducing defects and waste. Certification levels, or "belts," indicate expertise: Yellow (basic), Green (advanced), Black (expert), and Master Black Belt (strategic leader). MHA students have the opportunity to complete through a Black Belt with the help of program resources.

MHA Director, Lynne Barnes, is a qualified EQi Coach. As part of the MHA program, students will complete an EQi assessment and coaching session with her. EQi testing and assessment measures emotional intelligence (EI) by evaluating self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and interpersonal skills. It helps individuals and organizations understand and enhance emotional strengths and areas for development.

Each academic year, MHA students have an opportunity to apply for financial assistance to help offset the cost of attending a professional conference and/or events. Funds may apply to virtual conferences and/or events. In addition, funds may also be used towards memberships in a professional organization, such as the American College of Healthcare Executives. Students may apply for this award in each year they are enrolled. The funds can be used toward conference registration, housing (ex: hotels), travel (ex: car, plane, train) and professional organization membership fees.

In collaboration with the two health systems in the Champaign-Urbana area, each system has offered two part-time positions to be held for incoming MHA students. These part-time job opportunities are a great way to gain a few years of work experience while being a student in the program. Students who are interested will have the chance to apply for these positions and potentially hold the position the entirety of the program.

The Illinois Leadership Center offers students the opportunity to grow professionally in a safe environment.  Students can participate in a multitude of free events and opportunities, such as i-Programs and Leadership workshops.

The Career Center offers students free services, such as Career Coaching, Mock Interview sessions and cover letter/resume reviews.  Regardless of where a student enters, the Career Center can help deliver those professional results students need to enter the next phase of their lives in health administration. 

The Career Development Office within the Graduate College provides career development advising services and workshops to graduate students.  They also serve as a resource to students through their workshops and video tutorials. 

All University of Illinois students have access to LinkedIn Learning, which provides a plethora of professional education opportunities to students, free of charge.  Students simply log in and browse the system for areas of interest.

Speakers from on- and off-campus are often invited to speak with our MHA students. Students are also invited to a multitude of HK Colloquium Speaker Series events and campus speaking engagements as well.  For students with a true desire to connect with others, there is no shortage of connections available through our program and the University. 

There are a wide range of career fairs that take place on our campus.  All students are encouraged to attend to practice their networking and professionalism skills.  These opportunities are shared with current students via e-mail and class announcements.