“I learned how to be a project leader and a business manager as a student at Olivet Nazarene University,” says Sydney Tyler ’17, ’19 MOL. “Throughout my bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, the faculty, staff and other students cared about me as a person and helped me succeed. I’m thankful for my Christ-centered education at ONU.”
Sydney first came to ONU on a golf scholarship and played on the Tiger women’s golf team for four years, and then later served as an assistant coach for the team. As her graduation approached in 2017, she was seeking the next opportunity when she heard about a graduate assistant opening in ONU’s Office of Admissions. She applied, interviewed, and was hired for the job. This opened another new opportunity for her. She was also eligible for reduced tuition in ONU’s Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL) degree program.
“I knew having a master’s degree would open more career options for me, so I decided to enroll in ONU’s program,” she says. “The personal and professional growth I experienced as a grad student was greater than I ever imagined.”
New Avenues for Learning
Sydney appreciated the flexibility of the online program and how her courses built on her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from ONU. “I learned how to know myself better as a leader,” she says. “In one of my classes with Dr. Jeff Williamson, we used CliftonStrengths® to identify our personal strengths. I also learned how to approach people who have different strengths than I have. This has helped me as a leader both on the job and in volunteer positions.”
Sydney is from a family of healthcare professionals, and she is the only Olivet graduate in her family. After receiving her MOL degree in 2019, she joined several of her family members who were living in suburban Las Vegas, Nevada. She first worked as a recruiter in the healthcare industry and then as a coordinator for Sunrise Children’s Foundation. These experiences helped her realize that she wanted to be more directly involved in day-to-day patient services.
Today, Sydney is the Center Manager for CareNow Urgent Care in Las Vegas. She oversees all business operations for this location, one of the 19 HCA Healthcare clinics located in the greater Las Vegas area. With headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, HCA operates more than 2,000 service sites across the U.S.
In her current job, Sydney manages a team of 12 employees plus overseeing payroll and scheduling. She appreciates the preparation she received in her MOL degree program to handle “deep dives” into analyzing important data and metrics, such as lobby wait times, total visit times, accounts receivable and referrals made.
“This is my first role on the operational side of a business,” Sydney says. “Leading people involves balancing different personalities and different strengths while also helping them to develop their weaknesses. Healthcare as an industry is always evolving, and part of my job is to learn and grow with the industry.”
Leading with Integrity
Sydney is also a COMMIT Dance Fitness Instructor and Brand Ambassador. “As a Dance Fitness instructor, I know that every student in the room is different and has a different reason for being there,” she says. “My MOL degree program prepared me with the skills and insights I need to help me lead each class well, and to make each class welcoming, safe and comfortable for all students.” She utilizes these same skills as the lead volunteer for the greeter team at her church.
“There’s always something new to learn when you are a leader,” Sydney says. “There’s no cap to growth. Leading others isn’t always easy, but it is always rewarding. Especially when you as a leader are approachable and welcome your team to come to you with any problems or concerns. My goal as a leader is to support my team.”
Learn more about ONU’s graduate degree programs at Olivet.edu/academics/graduate-programs. For more information or to enroll, email onlineadmissions@olivet.edu or call 877-465-4838.
