When Dr. Jim Hauschildt enrolled in the University of North Alabama’s Master of Science in Nursing program with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership, he was already a seasoned leader with decades of experience in healthcare, business, and education. He held an MBA, a doctorate in education, and was serving as the president of a nursing college. So why add another degree?
Because for Jim, leadership is not only a title—it’s a calling. And UNA’s MSN program offered him the chance to refine that calling with a curriculum that fit his life, matched his mission, and shaped his future.
“The flexibility, the emphasis on organizational leadership—it just kind of checked all the boxes,” Hauschildt explained. “It seemed like a perfect fit.”
As a full-time executive based in Cincinnati, Dr. Hauschildt needed a program that respected his time and ambitions. He found UNA’s online, asynchronous format convenient and exceptionally well-executed. The affordability helped, too—his employer’s education benefit covered the cost, making the degree accessible and practical.
“The skills and education that I received through my master’s degree at UNA influenced the approach that I take [working at a nonprofit] to build community health improvement programs…” Hauschildt stated.
While at UNA, Jim’s thesis focused on adult-oriented, applied learning—a concept that would later become the foundation of a dream. In 2019, he and his wife launched Mission University, a nonprofit that connects college students with hands-on healthcare learning experiences in underserved parts of the world. The model is simple but powerful: students develop community health improvement projects and then implement them in places like Peru, Africa, or Indonesia, receiving college credit in the process.
Dr. now lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska, where he continues to grow Mission University and lives out a philosophy of service that centers every decision he makes.
“When you orient your life toward what you can do for other people, it brings perspective… it brings peace.”
And for those considering a similar path but unsure of their direction?
“Sometimes you only have to know the next right step,” Hauschildt said. “So if you’re not sure, I’d say get started, and then that process will unfold as you go through…. The MSN program at UNA helped clarify and solidify that which I was being called to do.”
