“As a woman of color, who lost her mother in the final year of medical training, the journey from that loss to this achievement of a dual MBA/MHSA degree was filled with bumps. Through the highs and lows, I've come to learn that women have a lot of strength, and when they have made up their minds, nothing is impossible.”

Natasha Gajria’s path to graduate school is a story of ongoing resilience and determination. During the final year of her undergraduate studies in medicine, Natasha’s mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer; committed to caring for her family, Natasha delayed the completion of her education. While these years marked a difficult period of transition, Natasha never lost sight of her academic and professional aspirations.

Determined to realize her goals, Natasha again persisted and decided to begin graduate school while juggling the roles of new mother, student, and wife. She is now a graduate student at UM-Ann Arbor, concurrently pursuing a master’s degree in health management and policy administration in the School of Public Health and an MBA in the Ross School of Business. Most recently, she has gained professional experience working as a full-time intern at Michigan Medicine in the clinical affairs department, assisting in the management of quality of care documentation and compliance, and as a student consultant with Michigan Medicine’s Adolescent Health Initiative.

Natasha’s professors remark that she is a “dedicated and thoughtful student who brings fortitude, strong skills, and tremendous leadership potential” and that she has “a unique ability to foster collaboration and consensus among stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.” She ultimately intends to use her degrees to foster sustainable systems that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. She also envisions leveraging her expertise to contribute to local healthcare facilities, nonprofits, and community health initiatives.

Natasha reflects, “As a woman of color, who lost her mother in the final year of medical training, the journey from that loss to this achievement of a dual MBA/MHSA degree was filled with bumps. Through the highs and lows, I’ve come to learn that women have a lot of strength, and when they have made up their minds, nothing is impossible.”

CEW+ commends Natasha’s commitment to her education and names her the Beatrice Kahn Scholar.