South University’s Online Programs 2023 Alumni Achievement Award winner Almondo Vick has always had big goals. From a young age, he vowed to improve his community. Today, Almondo is doing just that after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Administration from South University.
“South University is a great school with good instructors and courses formulated for students to learn and succeed,” says Almondo. “[The courses] are undeniably filled with large amounts of information that instructors expect you to know and analyze. This information will be extremely valuable while maneuvering through procedures and processes within the workplace.”
Almondo earned his psychology degree Magna Cum Laude in 2020 from South University’s former campus in Novi, Michigan. Next, he completed his MBA in Healthcare Administration from South University’s online programs in 2022. His academic performance earned him invitations to the Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society for Social Sciences and Delta Mu Delta, the International Honor Society for Business.
While he was a student, South University staff regularly checked in to ensure Almondo had the tools to succeed. Yet they also held him and his peers accountable for their responsibilities. “At South University, deadlines are expected to be met, work must be done adequately, and assignments challenge students to think analytically,” he shares. “These forms of accountability will formulate resiliency, preparedness, and the ability to adapt on a daily basis.”
Professionally, Almondo has interned at Henry Ford Hospital in the mental health unit and worked at DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital as a healthcare specialist in his hometown of Detroit. For Almondo, being in the medical field is highly rewarding. He’s proud to serve in lower socio-economic regions that are often overlooked. His focus is patient-centered healthcare that addresses the entire individual rather than just the symptoms that bring them to the healthcare facility. Eventually, Almondo aspires to lead a hospital in the inner city, with plans to invest in high-value, cost-effective preventive services.
Almondo is also considering becoming a psychologist to work with children in areas with high crime, violence, and poverty. “Speaking from experience, growing up in dangerous areas can formulate unhealthy mindsets and damaging behaviors that are necessary to survive the environment. Outside of addressing the trauma, it is important to delineate that our environment does not define us, nor does it stipulate what a person must become,” he says. “Living under a survival premise will alter a person’s thought process and even diminish emotion and empathy. It is just as important to address the individuals within a damaged community as it is the environment.”
Additionally, Almondo has a passion for real estate and community. He is a marketing manager and technological consultant for United Streets Networking and Planning: Building A Community (U-SNAP-BAC), a city-funded, non-profit housing organization. Notably, Almondo has partnered with the Detroit Land Bank to purchase several abandoned homes to help revitalize the community and generate profits. In his spare time, Almondo coaches youth and high school football. He is a coach and player management specialist for Sound Mind Sound Body, a 501c3 charity and the country’s top football academy.
“I am extremely humbled by the fact that I was nominated for and won this South University Alumni of the Year honor,” Almondo says. “As a proud alumnus, I will continue to strive for advancements while attempting to make the world a better place.”
Congratulations to Almondo on this award!
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*Testimonials have been provided by students/alumni in their own words and without coercion. South University does not promise or guarantee licensure, employment, or salary amounts.
