Nitya Chandiramani, ‘17
Why did you choose to come to UMR? There were a variety of factors that drew me to and kept me at UMR. Specifically, the small, close-knit campus culture, the exclusive focus on health care and the opportunity to build relationships with professors, professionals, peers and the community.
What did your Capstone experience at UMR involve? My Capstone was a holistic and wholesome experience that encompassed a three-fold approach of coursework, study abroad and internship experiences. My coursework included an emphasis on health care policy and business, the most impactful courses included: Principles of Microeconomics, Health Law, Safety and Ethics, Continuous Quality Improvement, Health Informatics and Health Economics and Policy. My study abroad trip to Japan through the UMR program, Philosophies of Wellness: Holistic Healing in Japan, was a life changing and invaluable experience that taught me an immense amount about myself and positively impacted my outlook on my professional and personal journeys. Finally, my internship experiences through the Program in Health Disparities and the Capitol Pathways program helped me explore my professional interests in research and policy through the underlying framework of data aggregation, synthesis and storytelling.
How did your Capstone experience prepare you for your future in what you’re currently doing? My Capstone and experience at UMR overall helped me understand three key lessons that not only prepared me for my career but helped me grow and find success in my work. First, the value of building and maintaining meaningful relationships. Second, the ability to articulate your unique story based on your experiences and journey. And third, bringing a continuous curiosity and constant drive to learn to every role, project and job.
My Capstone afforded me the opportunity to explore a variety of avenues and ultimately helped me understand that my career goal and my story is defined by continuous learning and self-development. I want to learn about every facet of the health care system, from business operations to the member experience, to identify where I can add value and make a positive impact. One of the key themes in my Capstone was overcoming the notion of finding my "life direction," and my Capstone along with my journey through UMR helped me reach the conclusion that my life direction is about bringing a positive, driven and committed attitude to whatever company/community that I'm a part of and the series of micro-impacts in each community and workplace will sum up to a making a macro difference.
What are you currently doing? I am working as a Business Analyst on the Product and Vendor Management team in the Payment Integrity division of Stella (the parent company to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota).