Bernice Tiwaah Amankwah

Health Administration Class of 2025

• Hometown: Kumasi, Ghana
• Activities at Rutgers: Intern at New Jersey State Policy Lab (NJSPL), Research Fellow for the Ralph W. Voorhees Fellowship Program in Public Service at the Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement, Member of the Douglass Student Recruitment Network (DSRN), Co-Head of Public Relations for The Haitian Association at Rutgers University (HARU), Panelist for the Undergraduate Research Writing Conference (URWC)

Growing up in Ghana, Bernice developed a passion for bridging the gap between medicine and policy.

“I personally witnessed the challenges many people faced in accessing healthcare due to limited resources and personnel,” she said. “I aspired to work in healthcare, initially dreaming of becoming a doctor because I wasn’t aware of other medical professions at the time.”

Bernice moved to the U.S. when she was 14 where she encountered new barriers, including bias and inequity in the healthcare system. Eventually a positive experience with a physician assistant (PA) motivated her to pursue a career in healthcare.

She found herself drawn to business through a school-based academy in high school, and went on to earn an associate’s degree in Business Administration with a healthcare focus at Ocean County College. “That degree combined two of my interests: health and business,” she said. “I began to understand the systemic issues contributing to health disparities both in the U.S. and back home in Ghana.”

Knowing she wanted to continue in health administration with an eye toward becoming a PA, her OCC advisor introduced her to the Bloustein School. Her transition to Rutgers was seamless. “The support I received made the move feel smooth and welcoming,” she said.

In her time at Rutgers, Bernice dove into impactful research and experiential learning. As a research fellow with the Ralph W. Voorhees Fellowship Program in Public Service and intern at the New Jersey State Policy Lab, she had the opportunity to explore person-centered care, maternal health disparities, and policy impacts on community well-being.

“These experiences solidified my passion for policy research and shaped my academic focus on the social determinants of health,” she said.

She also credits her coursework with preparing her for real-world opportunities. “The Data Management in Healthcare course greatly enhanced my Excel skills, which I now consider essential,” she said. She has furthered those skills in her internship with the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Bernice planned a gap year after graduation to gain additional patient care experience before applying to PA programs—Rutgers’ PA program is among her top choices. “In the long term, I also plan to pursue a doctorate degree, especially because of my growing passion for policy research.”

To students considering health administration at Bloustein, her advice is simple: “Take advantage of every opportunity the school offers and don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are so many people willing and ready to support you. Also, stay on top of your email! Bloustein newsletters are filled with valuable information—it only takes a minute to scan through.”

Outside of academics, Bernice finds joy in fashion, concerts, travel, and binge-watching shows. “Fashion is a big part of who I am,” she said. “I live by the saying, ‘Dress for the future you want.’ It’s a small effort that’s helped me stand out and be remembered in professional and academic spaces.”