Heydi Correa-Encarnacion ('10)
Year: Class of 2010
Hometown: Bloomington, Indiana
Current Occupation: Health Policy Consultant at Health Management Associates (HMA) Medicaid Market Solutions, Indianapolis, IN
B.A. Degree: Sociology and Spanish with minors in Latino Studies and Public Health, The College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington
M.P.H. Degree: Behavioral, Social, and Community Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington
IU Awards and Honors: 2006-2010 IU 21st Century Scholarship; 2014 IU Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Finer Womanhood Award Recipient
Past IU Student Involvements: 2008- Present Member of Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority Inc.; 2014-2015: Graduate Assistant for the IU Office of Admissions Diversity Recruitment and Outreach Team; 2013-2015 Teaching Assistant for the School of Public Health; 2013-2014 President of REACH (Raising and Enhancing Awareness of Culture in Health); 2014 Member of Eta Sigma Gamma National Health Education Honorary; Summer 2014 IU School of Public Health Study Abroad in China, South Korea and Japan; 2013-2014 President of Latino Graduate Student Association; 2010 Member of the Martin Luther King Jr. “Not a Day off but a Day On” Committee; 2006-2010 Secretary of Latinos Unidos; Summer 2008 IU Office of Overseas Study to Aranjuez, Spain; 2006-2008 Advocate for Community Engagement (ACE) for the Monroe County Community School Corporation English as a Second Language Program (ESL); 2006-2008 Member of IU 21st Century Scholars Advisory Council
How Has the IU 21st Century Scholars Program Helped You Succeed: “Personally, I wouldn’t have been able to afford attending a four-year institution without the financial assistance and support I received from the IU 21st Century Scholars Program. The fact that I no longer had to worry about how I was going to finance my education at IU was one of the greatest feelings I had when I started my freshman year. Through my four years at IU, the IU 21st Century Scholars academic advisors assisted me through my college career and helped prepare me for the world once graduated. They were one of the constant support systems I had during my time at IU."
Alumni Advice to Current IU 21st Century Scholars: "Get involved on campus and take advantage of all study abroad opportunities that IU Office of Overseas Studies and IU OVPDEI Study Abroad Scholarships and Overseas Study has to offer! Think long term and seek out those student organizations that will provide you with personal and professional leadership skills that can translate into the working world. Join the student organizations or clubs that may seem abstract at the time but may be beneficial to your future. Variety is key. Also, take advantage of the resources IU 21st Century Scholars Program has to offer and attend all the events they host. This is a great way to learn how to network and get to know individuals in other IU offices of which can lead to potential on-campus employment, build relationships that can administer letters of recommendations, and provide you with long-lasting relationships."
Alumni Advice on Life after IU: "It is okay to not have it all figured out once graduation hits. Think outside of the box when it comes to post-graduation experiences—internships, fellowships, experiences abroad. Take the time to discover what you truly want to focus on career-wise, what your passions are and how you can manifest them. Confide in your mentors when questioning what it is you want to do. Experience something at least once, that is the only way you will know if you like it!"
Heydi Correa-Encarnacion ('10) with former U.S. president Barack Obama in the White House.