Alumni News
Well-Deserved Recognition: Honor Society Chartered for ODU B.S.H.S. Graduates
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
With over 750 graduates since its inception in 1985, it's not hard for Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (B.S.H.S.) program director Dr. Jacqueline Sharpe '05 to convey its enormous impact. Her enthusiasm and passion for her students and subject is obvious in only a short conversation, making evident why the program is not only in high demand, but also producing successful alumni.
Sharpe's most recent effort of establishing a chapter of AUPHA (Association of University Programs in Health Administration) Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society and working towards certification by the same group will only increase the university's reputation in the field.
Among the B.S.H.S. program's nearly 200 current degree candidates are practicing EMT's, dental assistants, radiologic technologists, firemen and corpsmen. These applicants must have at least one year of experience and an Associate's Degree, and license and/or certification in good standing for admission and most are still actively working full time. Thanks to a strong partnership with Distance Learning, students can attend class remotely via satellite feed or video stream and immediately apply management skills learned in the classroom to their current jobs.
Sharpe is determined to make certain that graduates of the program benefit fully from their ODU degrees. As part of this strategy, she set her sights on the university joining AUPHA's prestigious ranks, thereby giving these future managers scholarship opportunities and professional resources.
After an extensive application process, ODU's inaugural Upsilon Phi Delta honor society cohort graduated in May 2010. The seven members were selected based on excellent performance in the classroom as well as their contributions to the profession.
The group should soon increase in number as membership is also available to alumni of ODU's program who can benefit equally by the resources made available through the association.
With the chapter now official, ODU is one of only three universities in Virginia with the honor society. Thanks to the vision of its leader, the caliber of its students and now national recognition, graduates of ODU's B.S.H.S. students will continue to represent healthcare management excellence in Hampton Roads and throughout the United States.
To learn more about AUPHA, visit the association's website. If you're a graduate of the program and would like to apply for membership, please contact Dr. Jackie Sharpe.