Meet Jennifer Rudnicki, a Health Information Technology graduate. In 2016, Rudnicki walked a few blocks from her home in Garden City to the Radcliff Center on, as she called it, “a fact-finding mission.” She was nervous, because at the age of 47 she had never been to college.
The first person to greet Rudnicki was instructor Sherrye Bailey, whose positive tone set Rudnicki at ease. Mrs. Bailey encouraged her to take the steps that would forever change Rudnicki’s life for the better. In less than two weeks she had taken her assessment test and soon after was a registered student in the Health Information Technology Program. Once this became her focus, she never deviated from it.
Rudnicki felt the professors were second to none: Cara Harder, Kathy Taylor, Peggy Chapo, Jody Scheller, Karen Duke, Tracy Pizzino and Theresa Crump had a lasting impact on her focus and determination. “Without these strong women with great leadership skills, coupled with the friends I have met through this program, I would not be who I am in 2019,” Rudnicki said. They instilled the knowledge and confidence she needed to pass a national credentialing exam a full month before graduation.
Rudnicki graduated with a 3.973 GPA on May 4, 2019. She achieved her goal of becoming a tumor registrar two months later. As a tumor registrar, Rudnicki is a data information specialist, responsible for capturing the complete history, diagnosis, treatment and health status of cancer patients for a national database. This information is essential to researchers, healthcare providers and public health officials to better monitor and advance cancer treatments, conduct research and improve cancer prevention and screening programs.
Rudnicki is currently employed by the Henry Ford Health System, her first choice employer—a job she had only dreamed of a few short years ago. She takes great pride in being an Ocelot Alumna.