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Why Norma chose Rider

“I was undecided about my major, so I was looking for a college with a good reputation in the liberal arts,” Norma said. “One thing that made Rider stand out was its sense of community. There are so many opportunities to get involved, such as the chance I had to volunteer for the Special Olympics Unified Partners bowling team.” 

“I also was a member of both Rider’s Baccalaureate Honors and Business Honors programs, which allowed me to get to know my professors and my classmates on a different level.”

Rider's impact on Norma's career

“Throughout all of my experiences at Rider, I was always challenged and encouraged to explore my interest in health care. I took specific courses related to health care and pharmaceuticals, and wrote my senior thesis about the pharmaceutical industry’s marketing efforts to consumers,” Norma said. “All my experiences helped me gain a better understanding of the field and helped me focus my goals.”

“My interest in health care really took shape when I traveled to Panama on a Rider study tour, Nature’s Business, which combined study of the environment with business,” she said. The yearly class blends the academic disciplines of biology and business by taking students from both disciplines on trips around the globe to examine the various facets of the two fields. “I was able to earn additional credits and relate this course to my own interests by conducting an independent study on medical tourism in Panama.”

Continued success

Norma’s interest in health care was further fueled while in Malaysia as a Fulbright participant. “I had the opportunity to observe different aspects of the health care system, and there are some major differences between Malaysia and here in the United States. I gained a cultural intelligence that I could not have gained elsewhere, and also developed as a leader,” she noted. Norma is currently considering graduate studies leading a combined degree in business and health care.