May 2, 2023 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu

“Like most kids growing up, my exposure to health careers was limited to who I interacted with at my doctor’s office,” says Abby Edwards, who graduates this May with her second Arnold School degree.

The Charlotte, North Carolina native became interested in the health field as a teenager when her mom returned to school to become a registered nurse. But she didn’t know what other options were available to her until she learned about public health during her freshman year at USC.

Edwards, who was already a Capstone Scholar, quickly became involved in health-focused groups, such as the Galen Fellows. Like others whose college experience was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, she wasn’t ready to leave – or to stop learning – when her 2021 graduation arrived.

“I found a true passion in understanding health promotion from a systems-perspective and decided that I wanted to work in health care administration,” Edwards says of her decision to enroll in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management’s Master of Health Administration (MHA) program. “After attending my bachelor’s program here, I felt so connected to this community and knew that it was only right for me to stay at USC for graduate school.”  

During her program, Edwards immersed herself in student, university and professional groups, such as the USC Healthcare Leadership Association, which she led as president, the MHA Program Advisory Board, American College of Healthcare Executives, and Medical Group Management Association. She also gained experience as a graduate assistant with the South Carolina Hospital Association and Lexington Medical Center, where she has been offered an administrative fellowship following her May graduation.

“I’ve found that the health care industry operates like a business, but it is driven by relationships, a personal connection to the field, and an enthusiasm for helping those in need,” says Edwards, who hopes to stay in the city she now considers home after she completes her one-year fellowship. “Long-term, I aspire to be an innovative, compassionate, and adaptable health system leader who continuously improves the care delivery experience for both patients and employees.”  

I’ve found that the health care industry operates like a business, but it is driven by relationships, a personal connection to the field, and an enthusiasm for helping those in need.

Abby Edwards

Edwards’ promising future has already been foreshadowed by several recent recognitions. She and her team of classmates successfully competed in case competitions during both years of her MHA program. Edwards is also the recipient of the Foster G. McGaw Scholarship from the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Susie B. Yates Award from the HSPM department. She shares the credit for these achievements with her cohort and mentors, especially MHA graduate director and academic advisor Melinda Merrell.  

“Dr. Merrell’s genuine investment in my personal and professional development has challenged me to grow as a health care leader throughout my academic, extracurricular and work experiences,” Edwards says. “I feel encouraged that we will maintain a close relationship, and I look forward to remaining involved and supportive of the program as an alumna.”