Samantha Mengwasser ’26 and Ana Jimenez Baez ’28 are the first two students from UHart to be part of Masonicare’s students-in-residence program. They’ll spend the fall semester at Masonicare at Greenridge Place, a senior living community in Rocky Hill, CT.
Residents gathered to welcome the two at a move-in ceremony earlier this month.
“What a remarkable opportunity for Sam and Ana,” said Alex Coury, UHart’s associate vice president for industry partnerships and career experiences. “What a unique professional experience. I hope you make the most of this opportunity. And it’s also exciting for the University of Hartford. I feel this is the start of a great partnership between Masonicare and the University.”
For their part, the two students are ready to jump into their new roles. “It’s a really unique experience,” Jimenez Baez told FOX61. “You are not going to get this anywhere else. It’s like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
In return for housing and meals onsite, Mengwasser, a pre-professional health science major, and Jimenez Baez, who’s majoring in radiologic technology, will conduct at least eight hours of programming with the residents. They’ll also get to share ideas with students from Quinnipiac University and the University of New Haven, who are in residence at other Masonicare locations. And they’ll have one-on-one coaching and networking opportunities with Masonicare leaders.
Jon-Paul Venoit ’96, the president and chief operating officer of Masonicare and a UHart alum himself, told Mengwasser and Jimenez Baez that he’s looking forward to seeing them interact with the residents at Greenridge Place. “Not only will our residents get something out of it, so will you. And hopefully at the end of this, it will be an experience that will make you want to stay in healthcare moving forward.”
Ana Jimenez Baez ’28, College of Education, Nursing and Health ProfessionsIt’s a really unique experience. You are not going to get this anywhere else. It’s like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.