Christy Meissner: Advancing Her Healthcare Education

Last Updated October 24, 2024

Christy Meissner is no stranger to working through challenges. Being a single parent with the responsibilities of raising children and maintaining a home never stopped her from losing sight of a career in healthcare quality and safety. Having a well-defined vision is a common theme in Christy’s story and is a clear catalyst for her success today.

Prioritizing Education to Fit Her Goals

Christy’s professional experience in healthcare began when she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Michigan University in 2002, which was followed by a growing career that has included 13 years as a critical care nurse as well as an operational management role with a large hospital-affiliated physician group.

Most recently, she was offered a position as the corporate quality, safety and regulatory compliance project manager for her health system. This specialized area of healthcare is one that Christy feels most passionate about, and the role inspired her to pursue a tailored graduate degree program that would help support her new responsibilities and the potential for future growth.

“I was at a point in my career where I recognized that I would not be able to advance without furthering my education – I decided I just needed to start and the rest would have to work itself out,” she says. “I needed the flexibility of an online program to fit my life [and] I wanted the best educational experience.”

Doing her competent due diligence, Christy compared different factors between universities and found that the Master of Science in Healthcare Management-Compliance degree program from Michigan State University met her personal objectives and aspirations.

“Investing time and money into developing myself as a professional and leader made this an easy decision,” she says. “I pursued an advanced degree not only for career opportunities but to better myself as a leader in healthcare. I chose a curriculum that would offer the most education in my area of interest.”

Leveraging the Digital Age

Christy’s story is also about managing the different aspects of daily life while advancing her education from a distance. “I am from Clare, Michigan. Clare is pretty far north, so local options are limited,” she says.

While this may have been an obstacle before the advent of quality online education, Christy was able to leverage available options and pursue a program that fit her objectives, rather than be concerned about how physically close the school was. After becoming an online graduate student with MSU, she was empowered by the digital tools available and diversity of her peers.

“I have really enjoyed the flexibility online has to offer but still have the feeling of an in-person program through the weekly zoom lectures and structured work,” she says. “Online learning also creates a more diverse group of students from all over the state/country which has provided a broader range of experiences and perspectives so we can learn from each other.”

Program Value

Christy’s time as an MSU Healthcare Management student has proven to be a rewarding decision, offering an educational experience that fit her needs and opened doors to networking. Her capstone project even provided an opportunity to network with the corporate quality and compliance team at her organization and empowered her to stand out as a front runner for a highly sought-after position.

“I cannot say enough good things about this program, the professors, structure, course objectives and group work,” she says. “I have lifelong friendships now through this program and have been able to see my own professional growth as a direct result of MSU.”

Beyond the curriculum, Christy has been able to thrive in her educational journey with the support of her student success coach at Bisk – an online learning management provider partnered with Michigan State University.

“[The Bisk representative] has been great. Every time I have a question, whether related to books or registering for classes I email them and they get back to me quickly every time,” she says. “My very first conversation with a Bisk representative when I was considering programs was one of the deciding factors for MSU. They were the first to ask me the question ‘why?’ Why was I going back to school? What did I want out of an education? It was a critical point in my decision-making process.”

For Christy, achieving her educational and career goals in a way that worked for her has ultimately benefitted the most fulfilling part of her life – her children.

“My kids have been my biggest supporters and it has been great to set an example that it is never too late to further your education and advance yourself,” she says.