Jodi was born and raised in a small town in Iowa. She was a first-generation college student who was accepted into physician assistant (PA) school right after completing her associate’s degree, back at a time when PA training was at the bachelor’s level. She went on to complete master’s degrees in healthcare administration and public health and a PhD in higher education. Even now, she likes to take EdX classes just for fun.
Jodi has always loved school, so it’s no surprise that she was eventually drawn to a career as an educator. After physician assistant (PA) school, an education career wasn’t on her radar because she enjoyed working with patients. However, the opportunity to return to teach in her PA program presented itself, and she thought, why not? Nothing has to be forever. While it might not have been forever, 30 years has seemed to fly by.
Over those 30 years at a medical and health sciences university, Jodi has had the privilege of working with thousands of students and applicants. For a time, she served as the Admissions Coordinator for the PA program, which involved reviewing each of the hundreds of applications received every year, selecting those to interview, and in the end, chairing the admissions committee to determine whether a student would be accepted, placed on the alternate list, or declined for admission.
One of the most fun parts of Jodi’s job was getting to phone applicants to let them know they had been accepted. Those were always exciting calls, where she could literally hear the joy and relief coming through the phone. However, she also cherished the opportunity to work with applicants who had not been accepted and guide them towards the additional experiences that could help them be successful in the future.
After retiring from being a college dean, Jodi has had the opportunity to stop and think about what she wants to do next, and her goal is to get back to working with students as they strive toward their educational and professional goals.
Jodi and her husband recently moved to Texas to be near their two grown daughters. Jodi loves being physically active by biking, swimming, running, golfing, or just walking her dog around the neighborhood.
