Molly Flynn '06 Health Administration / Business Administration

Hometown: Keota, Iowa

When Molly Flynn was looking for a graduate program where she could develop her plans for a career in health care administration and policy, the University of Iowa College of Public Health stood out.

The faculty and staff were supportive and she could simultaneously earn degrees in health administration and business administration through a joint program with the UI Henry B. Tippie College of Business.

When Molly, who lives with her husband in Keota, Iowa, received the Adrienne Astolfi Eddins Memorial Scholarship, she knew for certain she'd come to the right place. Janice Reals Ellig (1968 B.B.A.) of New York City created the scholarship in memory of her sister -- but Ellig has gone far beyond just being a benefactor.

"Janice's support has allowed me to come to school without having to work full-time," Molly says. "But even more important, she's a mentor and a role model. She's getting a few women who have received her scholarship together in New York City so we can get to know each other. She wants us to learn to collaborate as professional women facing similar issues. It means a lot to receive that depth of support."

In her program, Molly has received other kinds of support, too, much of which has been made possible by annual gifts to the college. For instance, the college helped her land a crucial internship with John Deere Health; she's been able to take educational trips to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines; and she's learned from a variety of visiting lecturers.

Molly also values the college's close association with UI Hospitals and Clinics, and the opportunities there for well-rounded exposure to all aspects of health care.

"I'm learning how to make a difference in the quality of people's health care," Molly says. "I want to do more than just make money for my employer -- I want to identify and help solve problems. This program is teaching me that perspective."

Thanks to private annual and scholarship support today, Molly and her fellow students in the College of Public Health will be among tomorrow's health care leaders.

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