Completing her education was a joyful achievement for Tasha Brickhouse, a clinical nutrition manager at AdventHealth Fish Memorial. But like many other students, Brickhouse achieved this goal with the assistance of student loans. While she knew taking on student loan debt would be a challenge, she was determined to reach her education goals.  

“It is not cheap to go to school,” she said, “but I was determined to be the best version of myself. So I did it, but I walked out of school with a lot to pay back in student loans.”   

When she heard about the support AdventHealth was providing through its student loan repayment program, Brickhouse said she was convinced help was on the way — not just for herself, but for her coworkers too. Upon receiving the benefit, she went on to encourage three of her coworkers to also take advantage of it.  

“My coworkers and I are happy to have received this support,” she said. “We’ve been blessed by the student loan repayment program, which shows that AdventHealth cares about investing in the growth and financial well-being of its team members.”   

Brickhouse receives monthly student loan support for both her bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics and her master’s degree in human nutrition. This educational milestone, she says, has been a long time coming.   

As she began pursuing her bachelor’s degree, Brickhouse was faced with the challenge of juggling her education with work and family demands. She eventually took a break from the classroom, but as the years flew by and her kids approached their high school years, Brickhouse said, she knew the opportunity to fulfill her educational goal had arrived.   

“It was a big leap of faith to get back into school. I’ve always had a passion for nutrition, which was inspired by my mother,” she said. “I often wonder how she could have extended her life by caring for her health as a whole.”

While there were challenges to overcome along the way, Brickhouse’s journey has also been full of opportunities. She was accepted to participate in clinical rotations at AdventHealth while still in her bachelor’s degree program.

Soon after, and with a motivation to reach new heights, Brickhouse passed her registered dietitian (RD) exams and accepted an offer to practice her calling at AdventHealth, later pursuing her master’s degree.

“Prior to working here, I used to pass by AdventHealth all the time on my way home,” she said. “I love the Christ-centered environment which is very important to me, and I’m thankful for my leaders who were flexible with my school schedules and provided opportunities for me to grow.”   

Brickhouse believes that if people can be more intentional about how they manage their nutrition, it can go a long way to helping them heal their bodies and feel whole.   

“I feel nutrition is fundamental to health and an important gateway to help people heal,” she said.

The original version of this story was posted on the AdventHealth news site.