Youngstown News
Campus News & Events
Setting the Standard
Priscilla Gotay has always been a woman pushing for the top; she describes herself as a "go get 'em" personality. From the time she was a girl growing up in Puerto Rico, her move to the States as a young woman, and her enrollment at National College, Priscilla has been steadily laying the foundation for pursuing her future dreams. Her new associate degree from the health information technology (HIT) program at the Youngstown Campus is the capstone to her current goals and her first step to the next level.
It's no surprise that wherever she goes, Priscilla leaves glowing recommendations in her wake. She is one of the "shining stars" for the Mahoning and Columbiana Training Association (MCTA), the administrative and fiscal office for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in those counties. Her success through the program at National has prompted MCTA to use her as a model story of what they hope for students utilizing WIA federal funding for workforce training education.
It's the not the first time Priscilla has set the standard for excellence. As an extern for St. Elizabeth Health Center, she set the example for future externs. St. Elizabeth constantly tells Gina Augustine, Director of Health Information Technology, that they can’t wait to bring Priscilla on board as an employee.
Part of Priscilla's secret to success is holding high expectations for herself and what she invests her time and effort in, especially in her choice of education. When looking at programs, National College was her first pick: "I liked it here because [the HIT program] showed you everything about HIT. There are other programs that give you just the billing part, but [National’s HIT program] actually gives you the wider view," she states.
That wider view was exactly what Priscilla was looking for, because she doesn’t plan on staying at that entry-level position for very long. With the rapid integration between the medical field and technology, workers with Priscilla’s skills are in growing demand. And in HIT, “You can always work your way up,” Priscilla says, and that’s exactly what she plans on doing. In about two or three years, Priscilla says she sees herself in an administrative position in a hospital.
"Coming to the HIT program here at National College was the best thing I have done," Priscilla candidly shares, "It laid down the foundation that was necessary [for all my future goals]." Priscilla looks forward to working in her new career, continuing her education for a bachelor’s degree, and going even further.
