June 22, 2018 | Callie Parks, a Master of Health Administration student in the College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), is the 2018
recipient of the CAHME Dawn Gideon Foundation Scholarship, which supports women pursuing advanced education in health care management who have demonstrated a commitment to communities in need.
Parks, of Conway, will enter her second year in the MHA program in August. She spent the first year of the program as a graduate assistant in the UAMS Myeloma Institute. Recently, she took on a new role as an administrative resident at Baptist Health corporate office in Little Rock.
The CAHME—Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education—Dawn Gideon Foundation Scholarship is named in memory of Dawn Gideon, who devoted her career to helping health care organizations succeed and who herself graduated from a CAHME-accredited MHA program at the University of Pittsburgh. Recipients receive $2,000 and should embody the spirit and attitude of Dawn Gideon.
“I’m honored to carry out Dawn’s legacy,” said Parks. “She was a visionary in the field and the work she did truly paved the way for aspiring female health care leaders such as myself.”
Parks was nominated for the scholarship by Saleema Karim, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health.
“Callie distinguishes herself as one of our best MHA students,” Karim said. “Her drive and commitment to excellence, both in and out of the classroom, are characteristics of a successful future health care leader.”
Parks’ nomination noted her intellectual and academic excellence, her leadership and communication skills, and her commitment to innovation and service to others.
Following graduation from the MHA program, Parks would like to pursue an opportunity in hospital operations.
“I have always been interested in the care that occurs within the hospital setting,” Parks said. “I hope to make a difference in the lives of patients through this career choice.”