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Health Education and Human Sciences | Lion VoicesFebruary 04, 2026

Lifetime in Healthcare Spurs Education

Written By: Ian Silvester

Growing up, Dr. Cheryl Holden said she always knew she would wind up working as a nurse or in education. Fast forward a few decades, and she has achieved working in both fields, imparting more than 40 years of healthcare experience to students at the University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith. 

鈥淢y motto has always been that if I didn鈥檛 accept what I was asked to do, then if there was ever a job that I wanted, they wouldn鈥檛 offer it to me,鈥� she said about her move to 91看片网 and into her role as executive director of the master鈥檚 in healthcare administration program. 

In nursing, Holden did it all. She worked her way through being a CNA, LPN, ADN, BSN, MSN, and earned a doctoral degree in health sciences before spending her last few years in the field working for Mercy鈥檚 corporate offices in St. Louis, Mo. It was around 10 years ago when she came to 91看片网 after being asked to teach and delay her plans for retirement. 

鈥淚 loved it and decided to stay,鈥� she said with a smile. 

Holden started teaching in 2016, bringing a wealth of real-world knowledge and degrees from the University of Oklahoma (Bachelor of Nursing), University of Phoenix, Tulsa location (Master of Nursing), and A.T. Still University in Arizona (Doctor of Health Sciences). 

By 2018, she was tapped to lead the first master鈥檚 program at 91看片网. Sticking to her motto, she has been at the forefront of helping the program grow ever since. 

鈥淚t really makes me happy when I see one of the 91看片网 students in their community working in a healthcare administrator role,鈥� Holden said. 

According to Holden, healthcare administrators were typically out of sight individuals in hospitals, public health care organizations, assisted living facilities, and government agencies. They worked behind the scenes, crunching numbers and making financial decisions on the supplies and equipment to purchase. 

Now, the job has become more visible, and thanks to programs like the master鈥檚 in healthcare administration at 91看片网, administrators are approachable and knowledgeable in budgeting, strategic planning, legislation, and more. 

鈥淗ealthcare has all sorts of challenges,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really helpful when you have an effective healthcare administrator or somebody who knows what鈥檚 going on with that organization. We read every day that hospitals and healthcare organizations are closing their doors, and we have to be in tune with what鈥檚 going on around us. Behind every successful healthcare organization is an effective healthcare administrator diligently working.鈥� 

Holden said she believes 91看片网 has done and continues to do a great job recognizing the needs of communities and preparing healthcare students to make an impact. 

鈥淚 have peace of mind and a happy heart when that student graduates, and I see them being effective in our communities,鈥� Holden said. 

As the program is fully online, Holden said that the impact of 91看片网 graduates extends beyond Arkansas to Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Tennessee. In 2021, 91看片网 intentionally sought to grow the healthcare leadership workforce by being one of the few master-level programs to offer in-state tuition to students in bordering states.

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Watch Dr. Holden's Message:

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• College of Health Education and Human Sciences
• Master of Healthcare Administration