Nicole Folken, '13
Why did you choose to come to UMR? I chose to come to UMR because I liked their approach on student-focused learning. The professors tailor their learning styles to what best suits the student’s needs. Additionally, each class concentrates on group work and collaboration. An example of this is that we sit at tables verses desks which has helped me immensely in the working world as most of what I currently do involves working in teams or with planning committees.
What did your Capstone experience at UMR involve? My Capstone involved two components. The first was a summer internship at Olmsted Public Health where I was involved in different advocacy initiatives. One in particular had to do with gardening in the schools that taught students how to plant, grow and pick produce and then use the produce in their school lunches. This was a neat concept and one we now see many restaurants trying to incorporate with farm to table entrees.
The second part of my Capstone was with Olmsted Medical Center (OMC) where I was involved with business administration. My project was to go to the various OMC sites in and around Rochester to see how many patients per day call with questions/medication refills that could possibly be answered using an automated phone system.
How did your Capstone experience prepare you for your future in what you’re currently doing? Both components of my Capstone were different as one focused on public health and the other on the non-patient side of a health care institution. My Capstone experiences gave me confidence in how to interact with professional individuals regardless of title or position. It also taught me how to be efficient and detail-oriented without cutting corners. This has helped me when creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for my position and in my day to day tasks. I really enjoyed the business administration side of health care when working on my Capstone at OMC. This inspired me to obtain my master's in Healthcare Administration and work on the business side at Mayo Clinic. Had I not been given the opportunity at OMC, I would not have realized how much I enjoyed that area of the institution.
What are you currently doing? After graduating from UMR, I went on to obtain my master's in Healthcare Administration from St. Mary’s University. I am now a Field Sales and Services Manager for Mayo Clinic Laboratories at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Was there a faculty member that positively impacted your time at UMR and how? Dr. Dunbar gave me some of the best advice. When I started at UMR, I wanted to be a doctor or physician assistant. Dr. Dunbar suggested that if I wanted to be in direct patient care I should look into obtaining my certified nursing assistant (CNA) license. I took his advice and obtained my CNA. After three months of working in direct patient care as a CNA, I realized it was not for me. I then shifted to exploring the business side of health care and obtained a minor in Business Management to accompany my bachelor's degree.