Second-Year MHA student earns coveted administrative fellowship at Children’s Health
Ashley Mesch, a second-year Master of Health Administration student in UNT Health
Fort Worth’s College of Public Health was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime.
Next summer, she kicks off her fellowship with Children’s Health Medical Center in
Dallas, Texas.
The Christopher J. Durovich Administrative Fellowship which begins July 2026 provides health care professionals with executive mentorship and a unique exposure to Children’s Health’s rapid growth and innovation. Children’s Health fellowships are available to current employees; however, prospective applicants are MHA students nearing graduation. Mesch, a former Children’s Health intern, will work alongside current employees while rotating across departments for her first six months. She will spend the remainder of her fellowship in two departments of her choice based on her observation period in the Inpatient Services Dallas Center, Inpatient Services Plano Center, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Strategic Planning, Corporate Services and Support Services teams.
The Arlington native pursued fellowships in the Dallas area to be near family. She previously worked at UT Southwestern and loved the culture, before recognizing the joy she felt working in pediatrics.
“Children’s Health does an amazing job at prioritizing their patients,” Mesch said. “Everyone was so welcoming during my time. Even though I was an intern, I felt like part of the full-time staff.”
The internship at Children’s Health allowed interns to rank current departments based on their interest which informs their placement within the organization. She ranked the marketing department as her first choice as it’s a rare professional experience for those pursuing careers in health administration. Without prior experience, Mesch was eager to learn something new that also aligned with her upcoming coursework. This semester, she is enrolled in a strategic marketing course in the MHA program at UNT Health.
Once fellowships are awarded, each fellow is “matched” with a high-level executive who serves as their mentor for the duration of the program.
“As a Children’s Health intern, the current cohort of fellows mentored the current interns, so I thought my new cohort would be my only support system as a fellow, Mesch said. “I’m looking forward to learning from someone with years of experience in the field.”
Working in a pediatric setting was always Mesch’s calling, citing that she needed the professional experience first. Having previously worked in nursing administration, she was accustomed to interacting daily with colleagues but had limited contact with patients. Her site visits to Cook Children’s Medical Center revealed the importance of maintaining patient connection, even in administrative roles.
“As staff, you understand what your role in health care is but also what your impact can be. Children’s Health does a great job of ensuring the hospital does not feel intimidating for the children, Mesch said. “Aside from the patient experience, there’s a culture of inclusion where everyone’s ideas are valued and leadership is encouraged.”
Earning a bachelor’s degree in public health from Texas A&M University, Mesch was ecstatic to learn of an MHA program housed within a public health school. Applying to UNT Health was a “no-brainer.”
“I’ve learned things in the program that I did not anticipate. I consider myself a life-long learner, and the MHA program supports that.”
Mesch describes embracing the unexpected in her graduate program. “I used to be scared of change. But between my classes, new assignments, and new opportunities like the ACHENTX competition, I now welcome it. This program has taught me how to adapt.”