Healthcare+

Program Benefits

Acceptance into the Healthcare+ program includes:

• Relationships with classmates that have similar interests as yours
• Networking opportunities with healthcare leaders in the field
• Comprehensive academic conversations regarding the complexities of healthcare
• Leadership development to expand your capacity to perform in leadership roles
• A potential $2,000 Healthcare+ Scholarship to assist with cost of tuition
• Opportunities to serve your community by organizing public health fairs, blood drives, and community education.
• Reflective workshops focused on ethical care, teamwork, and leadership

You’ll gain:

• Confidence in navigating healthcare environments
• Strong communication, critical thinking, and team collaboration skills
• A clearer sense of your personal and professional interests
• Opportunities to build your résumé through real experiences
• Lasting relationships with mentors, peers, and professionals

Healthcare+ is ideal for students who are:

• Curious about the healthcare field but unsure where to start
• Passionate about service, people, and problem-solving
• Interested in exploring clinical and non-clinical healthcare careers
• Looking for a supportive community and strong mentorship early in college

Whether you’re a future doctor or a healthcare administrator in the making, Healthcare+ helps you find your path.

Meet Your Healthcare+ Leaders

Your passion for people and interest in healthcare deserve the right environment to grow. With its focus on personalized learning and purposeful connections, Healthcare+ is your first step toward a future in healthcare. Join a program that meets you where you are—and leads you where you’re meant to go.

Melissa Goines is an assistant professor and teaches primarily in the School of Allied Health and Sport Studies. She also serves as the Director of Health Promotion. Dr. Goines comes from the Midwest where she taught as an adjunct professor for four years at Triton College in the Chicago area. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 2009. While there, she competed as a Division I women’s soccer player for four years. She then pursued her master’s degree in athletic training at Indiana University, which she completed in 2011. She was responsible for the athletic training needs of the women’s tennis team for two years. In 2020, she completed her Doctoral degree in Kinesiology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Goines is also an NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist and a Certified Health Coach.

Dr. Goines and her husband have three children. In their free time, they enjoy seeing all that North Carolina has to offer from the mountains to the beaches.

George Venturella is a graduate of Barton College in Wilson, NC. He earned his BS in Health Promotion with a double minor in Population Health and Honors Critical Research (‘20), earning his MBA in Strategic Leadership in ‘22. During his time at Barton, he was a part of the first NC AHEC Scholars cohort at Area L AHEC. With a professional background in healthcare and higher education, he is currently the Director of Operations at PinkGlasses Consulting, a health consulting firm. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Barton College in the School of Health Sciences and the School of Business and Innovation. He holds certifications in emotional intelligence, resiliency, and adult and youth mental health first aid.

When he is not at work, you can find George on the soccer field coaching his varsity boys and girls teams at Greenfield School in Wilson, NC or spending time with his family. He is married to his wife, Katelyn, who is a pediatric emergency department nurse. Their little boy, Theodore, is the center of their life.

Healthcare+ Journey

Year 1: Explore—Discover core healthcare topics, build relationships, and reflect on your interests
Year 2: Engage—Take part in workshops, skills training, and professional networking
Year 3: Focus—Dive deeper into specific healthcare fields aligned with your goals
Year 4: Launch—Develop a personalized project and prepare for grad school or entry into the workforce

Healthcare+ students have attended:

• Simulation labs and on-campus health workshops
• Guest lectures from healthcare professionals
• Service-learning events with health-focused nonprofits.

Each experience is designed to bring clarity, confidence, and excitement to your healthcare journey.

Application Requirements

• 3.0 unweighted GPA with an interest in a health-related field.
• Strong essay responses on application

Apply to the Healthcare+ Pathway Program

Explore. Connect. Serve.

At the heart of Healthcare+ is a vibrant and encouraging community of students, faculty, and professionals. Through shared experiences, mentorship, and service projects, students build lasting connections and find support for their goals.

APPLY HERE