In 2019, Lovida Roach was interviewed about her work with MLearning, her views on customer service, and work/life balance while working full-time and pursuing an MBA. She achieved her MBA in 2024 and works for Michigan Medicine Academic IT.
She recently sat down with the Michigan Technology Community to share an update for the first-ever “Where are they now?” interview.
You earned your MBA in April 2024. Congrats! How do you feel about it?
I feel complete. I’ve always had my personal educational goals, and I started my journey for an MBA in 2004. Life got in the way (as it does), but I maintained my goal as steadily as I could while raising my children, getting married, working full-time, and taking care of my parents.
In 2016, I was hired as an employee of Health Information Technology & Services (HITS) and subsequently found out about the Tuition Support Program, which gave me the impetus to pursue the completion of my MBA. I discovered that U-M covered 75% of the tuition. And then I learned that U-M Dearborn covers an additional 25% via scholarship. That helped me so much toward achieving my goal. The MBA program was online, which also facilitated my goal. I took one class at a time every semester. Even during the pandemic. Even with the death of both of my parents in 2022. It was hard at times. But I prevailed and graduated in 2024.
Life will get in the way. Life will present challenges. It took me 14 years to complete my bachelor’s degree. It’s okay to do it a little at a time as long as you finish. I’m someone who finishes what they start. I want to be an example to my children, as well, because they are the most important part of my life. When I graduated, they threw me a big party and attended the ceremony.
What advice would you share with those who want to pursue a master’s degree while working?
I urge anyone to pursue their educational goals, whether it’s career advancement, skill-building, or personal growth. Pursuing a master’s degree while working is a challenge, but with the right mindset and strategies, it’s absolutely doable. If you’re motivated, you can push through tough times.
Flexible programming was key to my successful completion. I personally favored online because I could work at my own pace. However, attending an occasional class in person made project work easier and provided a change of scenery. In addition, it gave me a break from staring at a computer all day for work and all night for school.
My overall journey was tough but very rewarding. And as stated before, I urge anyone who even has the slightest interest in advancing their education, to take advantage of the opportunities that can be found here at the University of Michigan.
Tell us about your new position with Michigan Medicine Academic IT and how it is different or similar to your MLearning work.
My new position is totally different from my previous position in MLearning. My main role with MLearning was training Michigan Medicine staff on how to use a learning management system and ensuring the appropriate training was accurately assigned. I especially worked closely with the Professional Development and Education (PDE) team in the Nursing department. It brought me great pleasure being in a classroom, training and teaching others. I was happy to share the wealth of my expertise.
In 2021, I was hired as an Academic Research Liaison, and my role was to help researchers navigate the complex IT ecosystems at Michigan Medicine and U-M. My team supports researchers and their staff in the Medical School as well as other departments such as the Biomedical Research Core Facilities (BRCF) and the Weil Institute. We give them personal attention because there is so much navigation needed to sort out the complicated technology ecosystem. We’ve created and maintained relationships with many different people and have worked hard to build a positive reputation. This has been challenging with all the new guidelines and mandates to safeguard data and personal information. We help people understand the “why” behind the changes. We meet monthly with units for open communication, learn what they do and how they need to utilize IT, and then help them get to where they need to be through the proper channels. We have constant communication with our research community. This role is different from anything I’ve ever known, and I’m constantly learning something new.
At Michigan Medicine, one of our core values is inclusion (to foster an environment where every individual has a sense of belonging, a voice that is heard, and the opportunity to achieve and thrive). I was appointed as one of the DEI implementation leads for HITS. My role is to create positive change to increase team members’ sense of belonging and to help build equitable and inclusive environments.
Do you have updates to your travel bucket list or any life advice?
Between work, school, and family, I try to take vacations as much as possible for self-care. I love taking solo trips. Solo trips are great for everything. They help me stay balanced and to get to know myself. My trips are always an adventure. I’ve done hang gliding in Brazil, for instance. But my latest trip to Costa Rica was like a retreat. I was able to center myself.
In the midst of caring for family members, working, and everything else, I discovered at one point in my life that I didn’t know myself very well. I was glad to provide care for my loved ones, but I also needed to prioritize and discover myself and the things that were important to me. I discovered that I really love myself and I have a great time with me. I’m not afraid to do things on my own like dining out or going to see a movie or play. Doing these things alone helps me get the experience that I want, too. I recommend that people get to know themselves on a more personal level.
I’m also very cognizant of my health, including my mental health, and that I focus on what I can control. So, I know how important it is to eliminate as much stress as possible. I take it one day at a time. I’m thankful for where I am in my career, and I’m continuing my climb up the ladder in pursuit of my goals. I work with a wonderful group of professionals and a very understanding and supportive manager. This is affording me the growth that I need and helps me start my workday on a positive note.
Lovida Roach photographed by Mikalia Dennis.
