Following a calling to help others better their health, Nathan Dolan pursued a career in healthcare administration. While that wasn’t always his initial career path, he shares that he’s learned useful lessons from all parts of his life that he can apply to his job today.
“I went for undergrad teaching at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, but then I switched to majoring in anthropology and minoring in business administration. In anthropology, you study cultures and learn about diversity,” Dolan said. “I moved from my childhood home in Virginia to attend Valparaiso University to get a postgrad degree in Health Administration. I also moved out here to be closer to the Cubs, they were just waiting for me so they could win the World Series.”
Dolan’s passion for healthcare runs in his blood, as much of his family are nurses and have encouraged Dolan to pursue a career in the field. As he contemplated nursing, radiology, and respiratory therapy, his sister recommended he utilize his business knowledge. After researching the industry need and the job growth of healthcare administration, Dolan said it just made sense.
“Right now, I work for HealthLinc Community Health Centers in Valparaiso, it’s a federally qualified health center (FQHC),” Dolan said. “The mission of FQHC is to give back to the community and support its growth and overall health. We’re also implementing a new project where we focus on social determinants of health and asking how we can better provide our community members with resources and support.”
His passion for giving back doesn’t just stop at the workplace. As a child, Dolan was raised in the Christian church where his grandmother played the organ and his mother and aunts taught Sunday School. He credits his upbringing for his drive to help others.
“I taught Sunday School in my early 20s. I volunteered with the homeless for a week and transported them to local YMCAs to shower and do their laundry. Also, our church worked with Habitat for Humanity to help build some houses,” Dolan said. “When I moved out to Valparaiso, some people I knew from my church in Richmond recommended Immanuel Lutheran as a new home church for me. I started volunteering at the food pantry immediately to get to know the community a little bit.”
When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, Dolan responded that he would be more deliberate, and to make sure that everything he does has purpose. Dolan’s future plans are to obtain his Ph.D. and to further advance in his career, as well as train the next generation of healthcare workers, with the supplemental knowledge he’ll gain.