Photo submitted Rachel Jenkins, center, is surrounded by her mother, Jima Jenkins, and sister, Joy Jenkins, on her first day of orientation at Malone University.
For some people, tragedy leads to victory, and for others, like Rachel Jenkins, tragedy turns the trajectory.
Jenkins, who graduated from Canfield High School in 2013, said, “Originally, I wasn’t going to go to Malone[college]I was going to Arizona.” He died a few months before I graduated.”
Jenkins, 27, was born in Fort Myers, Florida, but grew up in Canfield and has moved extensively, including Virginia and Arizona. In 2000 she returned to Ohio and five years later, she explained, back to Canfield to be closer to her hometown.
The death of her father, Rick Jenkins, who managed several Target stores, was a major factor in her decision to “change my trajectory” and attend Malone College in Canton.
Jenkins, who lives in Washington, D.C., originally thought of becoming a nurse, but “nursing just didn’t make sense because I was really scared of blood and needles,” she said. As a result, she made a major change to her course of study by choosing to major in Political Science and Philosophy with a minor in History before completing her BA in Philosophy and Political Science in 2016. added.
In May 2020, she received her Master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University.
The next step in Jenkins’ trajectory was to turn coursework into a career. To that end, she “leaped” by looking for an internship position in Washington, where she found an unpaid position in the office of US Congressman Tim Ryan, D-Howland.
Her duties included conducting tours for voters and managing Ryan’s legislative agenda. In addition, Jenkins served as the legislative chief for a ninth term in the House of Representatives until last June.
Jenkins, who has since been named Malone University’s 2022 Young Graduate of the Year and served as class president, found a career opportunity this summer with the American Hospital Association. This “aligned naturally with my interest in health policy,” she explained. .
She is the Senior Associate Director of the AHA’s Federal Relations team. This position includes advocating in Congress on behalf of the needs of the country’s hospitals and health care system.
“I’m still learning my new role, but so far it’s been fascinating,” Jenkins said, adding that “90 percent of US hospitals are (AHA) members.”
But perhaps Jenkins couldn’t have signed on for her position at a more difficult time. expressed concern for infected patients.
At the height of the health crisis, Jenkins, who worked for Ryan, tried to shift duties to better serve the needs of the people of Ohio, but was concerned for her own well-being. I got
Jenkins recalls that she also received countless calls about people who had spent long days being laid off.
Despite the difficulties and difficult times that come with the pandemic, the most rewarding aspect of Jenkins’ position is that she feels she has made a positive impact on many hospitals. We’ve worked hard to make it affordable, which is a priority that listens to my father’s struggles, including the mounting medical bills.
“These experiences formed my perspective early on,” she added.
Despite graduating from Malone six years ago, she hasn’t put private Christian colleges in the rearview mirror of her life. Jenkins served as an alumni mentor for the 2021-22 Pendle Hill Her Mentorship Program. She was also honored in her College Homecoming Week.
There seems to be little more curve in Jenkins’ trajectory because she intends to continue to advocate for policies that help people with their health care needs and challenges, she said.
“My father would be proud of the path I took,” Jenkins added.
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