ShaCourtney J.

Professor and Class,

A capstone course allows college students to demonstrate expertise in their major or area of study. This course is typically required for graduation. Typically capstones prepare the student for real life situations. I am enjoying this course so much because it prepares me for real life situations that I may be faced with one day. I chose to focus on the endemic issue of HIV within my community because that is a real life situation in which we are facing in my community right now. Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino communities are disproportionately affected by HIV compared to other racial/ethnic groups. For example, in 2019, Blacks/African Americans represented 13% of the US population, but 40% of people with HIV. Hispanics/Latinos represented 18.5% of the population, but 25% of people with HIV. My capstone project is important to me because it allows me to be an advocate in a way through research and implementation of programs to make education and awareness more available. 

Now I want to reflect on what i’ve learned in the past year and half. At first I was a little timid. Being that I’m not in leadership and others were leading and different levels of management. I’ve learned patience and although I’m not where I need to be, I’m acquiring the skills and knowledge that I need to have while I wait on my season of opportunity. I learned alot of what makes a good leader, a great leader. I tearfully write this because honestly i’m quite nervous. I’ll be starting my internship program this summer and at the end of the year I’ll take over my own group of people. I want to be a great leader. I can honestly look back and tell anyone who is not yet there in leadership; to go for it! or anyone period. This was a great program and an emotional experience. I honestly almost quit three classes ago when the professor wanted us to have video responses. The professor begged me not to quit (rather drop that class) but to see it through. Sometimes people see what you dont see within your self and that is also an attribute of a great leader. Good luck to everyone and I hope to see you all in the DHA program. 

Je’lisa B.

Dear MHA Colleagues,

It has been a pleasure to embark on this educational journey. I was nervous about everything after an almost 10-year break. Still, the University of Phoenix advisers assured me that the Professor and organization of the MHA program would never lead me astray. This program has taught me many leadership power moves towards planning, organization recognition, project readiness, and effective collaboration methods to lead a group of employees. Each class taught me the questions to ask, involved me more in the daily operations of my current organization and helped me discover that I was already using analysis daily. As we go through our final week of class and the Capstone project, I reflect on my first meeting with my academic advisor. She asked if I was ready for the first class, and I replied I was scared of the last class and the final project. I was ensured that if I asked questions, studied, and put my efforts into the course leading up that the Capstone Project would become second nature, and it was. I enjoyed this opportunity; seeing the same names progress along the way with you was alright. We may be behind a computer, but we made it to the finish line.