UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State alumnus Keith Benson is wrapping up his year as board chair of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) as the organization holds its 2018 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia this month.
As board chair, Benson was responsible for assisting with operations, leading the board, serving as a spokesperson of AUPHA, and furthering the mission of AUPHA.
“The AUPHA Annual Meeting is a very important meeting to the organization. At this meeting there are undergraduate certification reviews, a global health care symposium, presentations about teaching and program management, and presentations from health policy experts and industry leaders. Plus, it is a great opportunity for networking,” Benson said. “What makes this year’s Annual Meeting special is that AUPHA is celebrating the organization’s 70th birthday.”
Benson, professor of health care management and program director of the health care management program at Winthrop University, earned his master of health administration degree in 1991 and his doctoral degree in health policy and administration in 2001, both at Penn State.
“When I was a graduate student at Penn State, I saw firsthand the involvement of the Department of Health Policy and Administration with AUPHA,” Benson said. “First, the undergraduate program at HPA is one of the longest continuously certified AUPHA programs. Also, I had the opportunity to travel as a Ph.D. student to an AUPHA Annual Meeting to present with Dr. Larry Gamm. At the meeting, I met and learned from many professors whose work I had been reading in class. I felt welcomed at the meeting and decided to join AUPHA when I became a faculty member.”
Penn State faculty members, students and alumni also will attend the organization’s Annual Meeting, which runs June 13 to 15.
“Keith’s leadership of AUPHA has been exemplary and is representative of the many ways in which Penn State HPA alumni are leading change and improving health management education and health care organizations,” said Chris Calkins, executive director of master of health administration programs at Penn State.
The Association of University Programs in Health Administration is a global network of colleges, universities, faculty, individuals and organizations dedicated to the improvement of health and health care delivery through excellence in health care management and policy education. Its mission is to foster excellence and drive innovation in health management and policy education, and promote the value of university-based management education for leadership roles in the health sector.
It is the only nonprofit entity of its kind that works to improve the delivery of health services — and thus the health of citizens — throughout the world by educating professional managers. AUPHA's membership includes the premier baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degree programs in health administration education in the United States, Canada, and around the world. Its faculty and individual members represent more than 400 colleges and universities.