Leslie Hurst made the decision to further her education at Ball State University after almost 20 years removed from college. Earning her Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2006, Hurst has since spent her career working in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Hurst started in chain, retail pharmacies and worked her way up the ladder – moving from customer-facing to management roles. Eventually, with time and hard work, her scope broadened into company leadership roles covering multiple teams. 

“I’ve covered multi-site leadership and multiple states and locations, and really kind of taken hold of roles that involve business development, business expansion, healthcare service expansion, and people leadership,” Hurst said.

The move into leadership positions sparked her desire to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, landing at Ball State University, where a fully online MBA program with a concentration in Healthcare Administration is offered. 

Most recently working as the Associate Vice President of Specialty Pharmacy and PBM Strategy at Baptist Health Systems Indiana and Kentucky, Hurst was drawn to Ball State’s close proximity to her region and the flexibility of online classes, which fit easily into her personal and professional life. She noticed that Ball State’s MBA program ranks nationally higher than other comparable options. 

“I definitely wanted something that offered flexibility with my rigorous work schedule and family life. So, being able to take asynchronous classes, I looked at some of the colleges nearby in Kentucky, and I wasn’t able to find a healthcare concentration or an asynchronous format in those,” Hurst said. 

Hurst also appreciated the online technology used in her program, noting how the easy-to-use apps were crucial to her studies in a fully online program. 

“The availability of technology, the ease of use with technology, and for the most part, from course to course and professor to professor, the same resources are used making it easier to navigate the semester changes,” Hurst said.

Ball State Online offers multiple MBA concentration options, including the Healthcare Administration concentration that Hurst pursued. The concentration is designed to fulfill the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Core Competencies for Healthcare Management, ensuring that it provides the skill set necessary for advancement in the field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Multiple classes in the concentration are offered, including “Financial Management and Performance Evaluation in Healthcare Organizations,” which Hurst noted as being particularly relevant to her career. 

“[It] helped me tie together some of the conversation dynamics of how our medical groups function and perform,” Hurst said, “…being able to have a better understanding of all the components of healthcare economics around more than just pharmacy, the bigger picture, and where we fit in.” 

Hurst noted that for future students, knowing what will work for you is the most important advice she can give. 

“When you’re trying to balance work and family life with going back to college, there are many complexities, I think, in planning a schedule that works for you.”

Hurst added that she was able to work with her advisor to map out a timeline of courses that worked for her and her schedule. She encourages time blocking, making sure you’re giving yourself time, and using the asynchronous online model’s flexibility if it fits you.  

Beyond the MBA program, Ball State offers over 100 online degree options. To learn more about the opportunities available to you through Ball State Online, connect with a Student Success Specialist.