Health Care Management & Policy Senior to Attend Georgetown Law, Hopes to Focus on Health

September 20, 2021 – Senior Joanna LaCoppola (NHS’22) recalled the sense of belonging she experienced when she visited Georgetown’s campus following her acceptance to the university.

“When I was applying to colleges, I searched for schools in DC, since I loved the city when I went there for my eighth grade field trip,” said LaCoppola, a health care management & policy major from New Jersey. 

She recalled, “While I was searching, I came across Georgetown and decided it was somewhere I definitely wanted to apply to. The moment I stepped on campus after being accepted, I knew Georgetown was where I belonged.”

Drawn to Health Field

During her first-year on campus, LaCoppola spent time discerning about her future, knowing she was drawn to the study of health, but not necessarily a clinical role.

“One of my roommates was a health care management & policy major, so I began to ask her about her classes and what she wanted to do with that degree,” said LaCoppola. “As I did some research on the HCMP major and careers in health administration, I realized that this field was a way for me to pursue my goals of helping people and being in the health field.” 

LaCoppola takes part in the major’s health administration track and looks forward to building on and applying her knowledge through the program’s internship.

Italian Studies

In addition to her major, LaCoppola is pursuing a minor in Italian at Georgetown College.

“I hope to be able to study abroad during the spring semester in Italy at Georgetown’s Villa Le Balze, as it has always been a dream of mine to travel to Italy and expand my knowledge of the Italian language and culture,” she said.

She said she enjoys the school’s “small family” feel, noting “All of the deans, professors, and advisors that I have met during my time here are genuine people who really want to see students succeed. They are always available to help, whether it be with class material or general life and career advice.”

Forming ‘a Bond’

In particular, LaCoppola said the HCMP major has been meaningful academically and socially.

“I love the HCMP major for many reasons, one of which being that I formed friendships with all of my classmates,” she noted. “Spending so much time together and taking all of the same classes allowed us to form a bond that I am very grateful for. I also love the HCMP major because of the variety of classes that are included in the curriculum, all of which are very interesting.” 

Extracurricularly, she edits the sports section of the Hoya and is a member of the Georgetown Cheerleading team. “Throughout my time at Georgetown, being on the cheerleading team has been my favorite way to get my mind off of classes and release stress,” she said. “I have so much fun cheering on our football and basketball teams with my teammates, who have become my best friends.”

Year and Years Ahead

When she graduates, LaCoppola will become a student at Georgetown Law, where she is thinking about health law as a focus.

Now that she and classmates have returned to campus, she hopes to try new things in her senior year.

“Missing out on a year at Georgetown due to the pandemic really put everything into perspective and made me realize that my time on this campus as an undergraduate student is truly precious and, unfortunately, limited,” she said. “Not only do I want to try new clubs and activities on campus, but I also want to explore DC and all it has to offer.”

By Bill Cessato