Skip to main content
MenuSearch & Directory
Close
People Finder Directory >

Student Association for Health Management and Policy Fosters Community for SLU Graduate Students

The Student Association for Health Management and Policy (SAHMP) offers graduate students at Saint Louis University (SLU) opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.

SAHMP, an organization led by a diverse group of Masters of Health Administration students, aims to support its members in navigating the graduate-school experience. 

SAHMP group photo

SAHMP group event, 2023.

SAHMP E-Board
SAHMP E-Board, 2023-2024.

Students are provided with resources, support in facilitating connections, community service opportunities, and a social atmosphere that fosters professional development, academic accountability, and community.

Their mission is simple: create an inclusive community within the College for Public Health and Social Justice (CPHSJ) for MHA/MPH-HMP students, support members in professional development, facilitate communication between students and faculty, promote the Jesuit values by participating in community service around the St. Louis area, and encourage students to get involved in events around the college, the campus, and the greater St. Louis area.

“During my ‘closer look’ visit at SLU, members of SAHMP were there to talk to me about their experience in the MHA program, which was what really sold me on coming to SLU. I knew I wanted to join an organization that was welcoming and also provided opportunities to grow professionally, and it was clear from the beginning that SAHMP was the perfect fit,” said first year MHA student, Hannah Lewis.

This year, SAHMP is emphasizing their commitment to professional development by offering members the opportunity to attend the 2024 American College of Healthcare Executive (ACHE) Congress in Chicago this upcoming March. This conference is one of the largest for healthcare leadership, and welcomes thousands of professionals across the country each year.

Members are also encouraged to engage in several service events hosted by the organization this year including an American Red Cross Blood Drive, LifeWiseSTL, which promotes the economic well-being of families in the community, and Med “U” Cation, an event that exposes local minority youth to careers in the field of healthcare.

The highlight of the organization for members, however, is the community that SAHMP fosters among students in the program. First and second year members get paired up based on their interests and professional goals  in the student mentorship program to offer personalized guidance in navigating graduate school and fostering friendship within the program. To celebrate the end of the academic year, SAHMP also hosts an annual spring formal to gather members together and provide food and music that many members look forward to being a part of.

“My favorite thing about being in SAHMP is the relationships and community we are able to build, both professionally and personally. We can count on each other for support as we celebrate achievements, and advice when we encounter challenges. The connections we make last beyond our graduate programs and continue as SLU alumni,” said this year’s President, Neira Dzananovic, an accelerated MHA student.

For students looking to join SAHMP, contact current President, Neira Dzananovic, at neira.dzananovic@slu.edu, or current Executive Vice President, Alex Peftoulidis, at alex.peftoulidis@slu.edu to get information on the next General Body Meeting that takes place every month.

E-board members:

College for Public Health and Social Justice

The Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice is the only academic unit of its kind, studying social, environmental and physical influences that together determine the health and well-being of people and communities. It also is the only accredited school or college of public health among nearly 250 Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States. Guided by a mission of social justice and focus on finding innovative and collaborative solutions for complex health problems, the college offers nationally recognized programs in public health and health administration.