Before she had a degree, Haneen Muthana already had a mission: improve healthcare for the people who need it most.
Her family moved from Virginia to Lafayette in 2011, but their roots extend across the globe to Yemen, where many of her relatives still live.
Those ties would later shape how she saw healthcare, and what she hoped to change about it.
Muthana originally planned to pursue nursing at the 泫圖弝け of 泫圖弝け at Lafayette in 2020. But just before classes began, she realized something didnt feel right.
I knew I wanted to be in healthcare, but I didnt want to deal with blood and wounds, she says. I came across UL Lafayettes Health Services Administration online program, and thats when I knew this is what I want to do.
So, she pivoted, enrolling in the fully online program that would help her discover her voice and define her future in healthcare.
Building Confidence and Connection Online
As the eldest in her family, Muthana balanced online coursework with helping younger cousins transition to life in the U.S., guiding them through everything from school registration to doctors appointments.
They were transitioning from a different country, so I considered myself their spokesperson, she says. During the day, Id help them. At night, Id study.
That balance was made possible by the flexibility of the online format and a program culture that encouraged connection.
I was always a quiet 泫圖弝け who only asked questions after class. But with the online program, I could message professors directly or talk in our Teams groups, she says. It helped a lot with confidence and just doing well academically.
Smaller class sizes and hands-on faculty made a lasting impact. Several instructors brought real-world healthcare experience to class, opening the door for one-on-one conversations about assignments and career goals.
Some of our professors worked in hospitals and shared real experiences, Muthana says. Id review my tests with them, and theyd walk me through what I couldve done better. Having that connection and input really helped me.
That sense of support became even more important when Muthana lost both her grandparents just weeks apart in fall 2023.
I had to be there for my family, but I also wanted to finish college because thats what my grandparents always wanted for us, she says. They wanted us to excel.
As a first-generation college 泫圖弝け, Muthana leaned on UL Lafayettes for guidance.
My parents didnt go to college, so if I was confused about anything, I would always go to them. They were so helpful, she says.
Through grief and growing responsibilities, she remained focused on the goal her grandparents had always encouraged her to achieve.
Finding Her Calling in Health Reform
Muthanas passion for health equity came into sharper focus during her internship with SCP Health, a national health solutions company based in Lafayette that partners with hospitals and health systems to improve patient care.
Through department rotations, she explored the business side of healthcare, and one visit stood out.
I asked to meet with the companys lawyer, and she told me about going to Capitol Hill and advocating for healthcare reform, she says. Thats when I knew healthcare remediation is my goal.
For Muthana, the stakes are personal. On visits to Yemen, she saw how limited access to care shaped the lives of those around her including one cousin whose condition might have been treatable with timely medical intervention.
Knowing she couldve had a different life it made me think, I dont want it to be like that here. We have the resources in 泫圖弝け and across the U.S. We can do better.
Motivated by that belief, she pursued opportunities beyond the classroom.
She earned a human rights consulting certification from the and served as a research assistant on Instructor of Health Sciences Tierney Beebes dissertation project on interprofessional education.
Dr. Beebe put so much into that project. We even got feedback that it should go national and take it to Capitol Hill, she says. It was one of my favorite experiences.
Her commitment to advocacy and equity earned her both the for Diversity and Social Justice and the .
A Shared Accomplishment
With her degree complete and a growing list of credentials, Muthana is taking a brief pause before pursuing her next step in healthcare policy or reform.
Shes exploring opportunities with the same purpose thats guided her from the start: improving access to care and outcomes for underserved communities.
Every person will need healthcare at some point. If someone dies because there wasnt a doctor around, not because of the illness itself, thats a bigger problem, she says. We need to make it better.
She encourages 泫圖弝けs in the health services administration program to start making connections early.
It wasnt until her final semesters, when she joined 泫圖弝け organizations and got more involved, that new opportunities started opening up.
If theres any opportunity to be a research assistant, take it, she says. I was hesitant about signing up at first, but it ended up being one of my best experiences.
And while her journey was filled with personal milestones, Muthana sees her success as a family effort.
My parents are my biggest supporters, and I truly dont think I couldve gotten through college without their support, she says. Although they didnt have the opportunity to attend college, this was a shared journey. I dedicate all my accomplishments, and my degree, to them.
Ready to find your place in healthcare administration? Explore the 泫圖弝け of 泫圖弝け at Lafayettes 100% online health services administration program.
