Surpassing Expectations

For Marisa Lombardi ’21, self-confidence is the building block of success. 

“My motivation stems from my ability to surpass expectations,” says the healthcare management major from Ludlow, MA. “My resilience has taught me that, the harder I work, the better return I will receive.”

Business communication was the most interesting class that Marisa took at Elms. “Communication plays a huge role in career development,” she said.

Marisa knows a thing or two about perseverance. She attended Worcester State University as a freshman, where she majored in nursing. But she quickly decided that the big campus atmosphere wasn’t the right fit. She decided to move home and transfer to Elms, where she entered her second year with a blooming curiosity about alternative careers in healthcare.

“Healthcare management is a very diverse field, where you can learn anything from accounting to insurance. The business aspect of it fell into place after I came to Elms.”

Marisa quickly established an impressive resume after shifting her focus. She was inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society for business students. She also landed an internship at Berkshire Bank as a fraud investigator, which has taught her the value of time management, teamwork, and problem solving, she said.

After she graduates, Marisa intends to immediately begin studying for the Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA) exam, which will pave the way for her to work in the field of geriatrics.

“The elderly have always been my main priority,” she said, “because everyone should enjoy their last days in a safe and comfortable environment. Healthcare management will allow me to assess and care for patients on a higher level.”

Marisa credits the Elms business program with providing her a unique space to grow, both as a student and as a person.

“The smaller class sizes gave me the opportunity to ask questions and excel academically,” she said. “The flexibility allowed me to work and develop time management skills.”

“The advisors and professors want you to succeed, and will help you with anything,” she added. “I believe the skill sets I obtained will help me bring a different perspective to my career. Elms granted me that mindset.”