UMSI student Jacque Adams and her daughter will don matching black caps as they graduate together from the University of Michigan this spring.

Jacque spent 15 years working for Blue Cross Blue Shield before making the decision to go back to school and earn her Master of Health Informatics (MHI) degree. 

Her daughter, an undergrad and cheerleader for U-M’s basketball and football teams, encouraged her to apply to the school. Jacque’s son will also be graduating from Wayne State during Spring 2021, making their matriculation celebrations even sweeter. Both her children plan to pursue graduate degrees at Michigan.

During her studies, Jacque is continuing to work full time for Blue Cross from her home in Romulus, Michigan. Her path to UMSI has been untraditional but fruitful. She obtained two associates degrees from Schoolcraft College in computer programming and microcomputer technical support. Then she earned a technical diploma in network systems support and a bachelor’s in computer and information security from Davenport University.

In addition to her academic degrees, she holds several professional certifications. Jacque is a Green Belt, Black Belt, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and Certified Pega Business Analyst. 

She became interested in pursuing her MHI degree after working in healthcare and IT. “What better way to combine my skills? I’ve always had an interest in technology and aligning my educational experiences with current and relevant projects at Blue Cross,” she said.

The opportunity to study at U-M has been a dream fulfilled for her. She noted, “I've always loved the University of Michigan, but never imagined I would attend.” 

Jacque is a second-year student specializing in Consumer Health, Consulting and Management and Precision Health. Her favorite part of the program has been “the multi-disciplinary approach and freedom to choose a path and take classes across different schools.” She added that “the cohort approach has also been fulfilling.”

During the 2019-20 academic year, Jacque was a first-year MHI faculty representative and secretary for UMSI’s Master's Association (SIMA). She’s currently a student leader for the UMSI Student Leadership Series, and is a part of Health Informatics Student Organization (HISO), Student Organization for Computer-Human Interaction (SOCHI) and the Women in Science and Engineering Program (WISE). Jacque’s advice for students on their way to UMSI is to look for opportunities to join organizations and participate.

Outside of her career and academics, Jacque loves to travel with her family and photograph their journeys. Before the pandemic she and her daughter traveled to Toronto, Amsterdam and Dubai. She’s staying busy with a party rental business she started, as well.

After graduating, Jacque said she’s “looking forward to first relaxing, then exploring new opportunities at Blue Cross.”

Right now, Jacque is enjoying being a student along with her children.