Head of the Class, Daiana Cebrelli: In Her Own Words

Healthcare Administration Student Daiana Cebrelli, Virginia Beach Campus

Before I started at ECPI University, I searched for a college that would help me gain the skills and knowledge that I could apply to make a difference in the healthcare community. I was born in the Caribbean and raised in England and Africa. I met my Italian-American husband in Nigeria where I lived and attended college.

I left medical school many years ago to raise my children. Being a military family, relocation was a part of life. This made it most difficult to accomplish any personal or educational goals. After raising two wonderful children, I made the decision to pursue my education. At first, I was fearful and anxious of failure, but I made up my mind that I can do this. So with the support of my family, I dove into my future goal to obtain my Ph.D.

I did not want to pursue my career at the large universities where the majority of students were young people, for the fear of being isolated and lost. I wanted a college with students my own age, had military backgrounds, and was small enough that I could seek out help from students and staff when needed, and I wanted this in a short period of time. At the same time, I wanted a high-quality education that will provide me with top-notch skills to face the challenging business world. ECPI University fit those needs perfectly.

I am now completing my final course before I graduate and I am excited to begin post-graduate work very soon. At present, I volunteer with hospice, Senior Advocate, Veterans of America, and I am the CEO of the Healthcare Administration Student Board. I am also happy to say that I was offered a position as Healthcare Executive Director with Retro Medical in Virginia Beach.

I did not reach this milestone alone. With the guidance and mentoring of Dr. Dawn Campbell, the Healthcare Administration Program Director, I was able to set personal, academic, and career goals, high expectations for myself, and better understand my own abilities.

Dr. Campbell is always available for her students, preparing us in every aspect of being a professional, from how to dress for success, speak, write, and present ourselves as professional Healthcare Administrators. In an educational setting, nothing is more helpful than a good mentor to help you learn and grow.

I am proud to say that attending ECPI University was definitely the right choice. I truly appreciate and value everything I have learned. It will forever remain a major contributor behind my success and achievements.