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Nicole Rakowski, valedictorian at the November 17 convocation for Health Sciences, is a proud graduate of the MSc Global Health program. As she leaves Mac, she feels excited about – and prepared for – her future in the field of global health.

“I learned a lot of valuable lessons from the Global Health program. Most importantly how to work and collaborate with diverse teams, to appreciate different perspectives, and to listen to people,” explains Rakowski.

For the last six months, she has been working in healthcare management at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) for her global health practicum. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with many different teams and adapt to various situations at HHS,” says Rakowski. “I feel that this hands-on experience, combined with everything I learned in the program, specifically through travelling to India and being able to specialize in global health management, has really helped me start to build a career in health care management.”

In her current role as Administrative Resident to the VP of Public Relations and Communications at HHS, Rakowski is responsible for evaluating the hospital’s current brand and market position, and proposing future solutions to the Executive Leadership Team. Looking forward, she hopes to pursue an MBA or a degree in medicine.

When asked if she has any advice for current global health students, Rakowski’s response is to take advantage of every opportunity – and, most importantly, to make connections with people. “Go to the conferences that are offered, network with individuals with different backgrounds, and build your profile. You never know where you’ll end up one day and how your networks can come in handy! That’s how I got my practicum opportunity.”