We’re so excited to welcome our new students! As MUIH continues to grow, so too does the diversity of our student population.
The 183 incoming students represent 29 U.S. states, joining us as far away as Alaska and as close as Columbia, Md. Their professional backgrounds span a wide number of fields, including health care, education and the military. Among them, their professions include a cake decorator, travel blogger, girls’ lacrosse referee, and a small farm manager.
Here’s a quick look at the incoming September cohort by the numbers:
Of the 183 new students:
Where they’re from
- 29 U.S. states represented
- 51% from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) combined
- 69% from the Mid-Atlantic
- 11% from the South
- 10% from the West (including Alaska and Hawaii)
- 5% from the Midwest
- 4% from New England
Age and Gender
- Average age: 38 years old
- 93% female
- 6% male
Academics
- 61% studying nutrition
- 12% studying acupuncture and/or Oriental medicine
- 20% studying herbs
- 7% taking individual courses (not formally enrolled in a specific program at this time)
- 74% enrolled in at least one online course
Career Backgrounds
- Most students have professional backgrounds in health care (30%), but they also have careers in areas such as business (14%), education (10%) and the government/military (6%)
- Unique professions among our incoming students include: travel blogger, military musician, emergency room RN, veterinarian, cake decorator, middle school teacher, plant care technician, primary care physician, and a stay-at-home dad.
Say hello to three of our new students:
Tenisha Holloway
Program: Master of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health
What drew you to MUIH?
I have always had a passionate interest in human development, health and wellness, and fitness, and sharing my knowledge in those areas to family and friends. For several years I worked in IT for Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (located directly across the street from the MUIH campus) and longed to pursue a degree here. I visited the café as often as possible to take in the calmness of the MUIH environment which often helped me de-stress from hectic workdays. It’s been a long journey getting here after slowly changing my career trajectory (I recently became a licensed massage therapist) but I’m so excited to finally realize the dream of becoming a MUIH student.
What are you most excited for over the next few months as you begin your MUIH journey?
I’m most excited about meeting and networking with my instructors and fellow classmates (in nutrition and other programs) as well as gaining the critical knowledge and skills that will help me begin to solidify plans for building my practice.
Barbara Butcher
Program: Master of Acupuncture
What drew you to MUIH?
My decision to apply to MUIH was rooted in my ultimate desire in life to leave a legacy of transforming healing within my spheres of influence and to leave a footprint of knowledge behind for others to follow. I had looked at several programs and chose MUIH specifically because of the age and wisdom of this program, the accreditation, and my belief that this program will cultivate the ability within me to guide my clients toward total wholeness and healing and not just temporarily alleviating physical symptoms.
What are you most excited for over the next few months as you begin your MUIH journey?
I am excited about becoming engrafted into this community of healing and wellness with all the wisdom of the professors and students that have gone before me. I am excited about the strength of diversity that my particular class represents and believe that we will become a strong branch of this community. The roots of MUIH run very deep and they are stable. This will be a good place to continue to grow.
Betty Chang
Program: Master of Oriental Medicine
What drew you to MUIH?
There were two things in particular that drew me to MUIH. The first would be the life I was living prior to joining the school. Working as a full time assistant in a family acupuncturist’s office and hearing the testimonies of so many patients inspired me. Also as I received acupuncture treatments myself, I started to believe more and more in its powerful benefits. The second thing drawing me to MUIH would be the ability to redefine health care by learning this practice.
What are you most excited for over the next few months as you begin your MUIH journey?
Over the next few months on this new journey, I’m most excited to form close bonds with my classmates and teachers, become introduced to a new way of thinking and being present, and learning how to serve my community effectively. I’m also looking forward to arriving at a new understanding and appreciation for the natural medicine fields.