Dear AUPHA Members,
As 2025 winds down, we want to thank you for the energy, insight, and collegial spirit you bring to AUPHA. This has been a year of meaningful progress across our community, and we are grateful for the many ways you contribute to advancing healthcare management and health policy education.
Leadership & Teaching Development
Our professional development programs continued to flourish. The Leadership Academy moved forward with new courses supporting the leadership certificate, and the Art of Teaching Institute offered engaging workshops and webinars that helped strengthen teaching and inspire fresh approaches in the classroom.
HAMPCAS Engagement
HAMPCAS saw another busy year, with graduate program information sessions drawing strong interest from prospective students. The service remains free for AUPHA graduate-program members, providing valuable support for recruitment and outreach.
Thought Leadership: 2025-2026 AUPHA Environmental Scan & Trends Report
AUPHA selected two author teams to produce the next Environmental Scan & Trends Report. Their work will help all of us look ahead, anticipate change, and continue shaping programs that prepare students for an evolving healthcare landscape.
Meetings
The 2025 Annual Meeting in Columbus in June was a wonderful success. We are grateful to the program and corporate sponsors who made it possible for us to maximize the experience for all attendees. And the Academic Program and Practitioner Workshop, along with the 20th anniversary of the AUPHA Academic Forum at HIMSS, fostered collaboration across academia and practice in new venues.
Awards & Scholarships
We were proud to honor the recipients of this year’s major awards and scholarships, including the Graham Prize, Filerman Prize, Thompson Prize, Studer Prize, Glandon Family Scholarship, and Borkowski Family Scholarship. Their accomplishments reflect the dedication, creativity, and leadership found throughout our community.
Strategic Direction & Governance
The Board continued progress on AUPHA’s strategic priorities, with attention to member value, educational quality, and the opportunities and challenges facing our field. This work is helping position AUPHA for its next phase of planning and evolution starting in 2026, with emphases on visibility and growth of the fields of healthcare management practice and education; and more customized and user-friendly services, resources, and other benefits for all AUPHA members.
Undergraduate Certification Enhancements
This has been an important year for undergraduate certification.
- Candidacy Status, launching in early 2026, will offer a more supportive and intentional pathway to Certification.
- A new Substantive Change policy will help programs keep AUPHA informed of major changes and stay aligned with expectations as they evolve.
- Two rounds of certification went into effect this cycle, accommodating the increasing demand for quality recognition as more students express interest in undergraduate degrees in healthcare management.
Together, these updates strengthen and modernize the certification process, offering clearer guidance and stronger support for programs.
Our Gratitude
Thank you for being part of this remarkable community. Your commitment and leadership make AUPHA’s work possible, and we are grateful for everything you do. We wish you a joyful, peaceful holiday season and look forward to an exciting 2026 ahead.
Richard A. Hirth, PhD
Chair, AUPHA Board of Directors
Dan Gentry, PhD, MHA
President and Chief Executive Officer, AUPHA