Cleveland offers an extraordinary environment for health education, and at the College of Health, we intentionally use our region as a classroom. Our students learn alongside clinicians, researchers, and community partners in settings where care delivery, quality improvement, and innovation are actively shaping the future of healthcare. These partnerships are central to how we prepare graduates who are thoughtful, adaptable, and ready to contribute.

This semester, our nursing students exemplify this model through their capstone experience in NURS 4400. Working with nurse leader mentors across partner health systems, students identify clinical or operational opportunities for improvement and lead quality improvement projects grounded in evidence-based practice and established methodologies. These projects emphasize patient-centered care, communication, equity, and Jesuit values, including cura personalis, while building confidence in leading change through collaboration and data. The experience culminates in a professional, conference-style poster and presentation aligned with contemporary nursing practice.

Our public health students similarly engage Cleveland’s health ecosystem through applied research, internships, and community-based partnerships that address population health challenges and advance health equity.

Dr. Megan Boyk ‘15 shared her experiences in Cleveland and abroad and offers a powerful testament to how these opportunities prepare students for the realities of modern healthcare:

“I graduated from John Carroll in 2015 with a biology major and a public health minor, before going onto medical school. My experiences with community service in the Cleveland area, and especially on the Honduras medical immersion trip, showed me the importance of a broader perspective on the health of my patients.  In Honduras, I was frustrated with how limited I felt caring for patients whom I knew would continue to have minimal access to basic medical care, education, and clean water and sanitation infrastructure.  These experiences demonstrated why it is important to be engaged in advocacy and outreach in order to fully meet the needs of my patients.  Now as a primary care physician in an underserved rural area, in addition to my patient care responsibilities, I also partner with local nonprofits and agencies to help with education and outreach events in my community.  My experiences in the public health minor, both in and out of the classroom, were the foundation for this work.  The opportunity to major in public health will be a huge asset to any student interested in working in healthcare.” 

Counseling students gain critical experience through field placements that respond to regional mental and behavioral health needs. These placements emphasize ethical practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and culturally responsive care, preparing graduates for increasingly complex practice environments.

Students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program at John Carroll University complete practicum and internship experiences across diverse community and clinical settings to prepare for varied professional roles. 

Placement sites include community mental health agencies, hospitals and integrated healthcare systems, substance use treatment programs, school-based and K–12 mental health programs, college counseling centers, private practices, nonprofits serving vulnerable populations, and specialized programs such as trauma recovery, correctional and reentry services, and court-mandated treatment. These placements allow students to work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families while developing skills in assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and culturally responsive care across the mental health continuum.

Students in exercise science benefit from hands-on learning across clinical, performance, and wellness settings throughout the region, connecting scientific knowledge with leadership and applied practice.

Pre-health students engage with the local healthcare community through hearing from guest speakers in the classroom, visiting area institutions, building connections with mentors, shadowing local practitioners, and becoming part of the healthcare community through volunteering and paid employment.

In preparation for a future in healthcare, JCU pre-health students will travel to Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine and be visited by the NEOMED admission team this semester as part of our Pre-Health Professions courses.

Together, these experiences reflect our commitment to leveraging Cleveland’s health ecosystem to prepare graduates who are practice-ready, values-driven, and equipped to lead in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.