August 14, 2019
鈥淭here鈥檚 so much you can do as a political science major you don鈥檛 realize until you get out in the work force,鈥 says Jessica Russo '12, who is director of admissions, marketing, and patient accounts for North Adams Commons.
In Jessica Russo鈥檚 office, among pictures of Silver, the horse she鈥檚 owned since she was nine, is a sign that says 鈥淒o All Things With Love.鈥 It鈥檚 an important message for someone who works to support the needs of senior citizens.
鈥淚 think they鈥檙e one of the most underserved populations we have, and they can teach us so much with one conversation,鈥 Russo said.
As director of admissions, marketing, and patient accounts for North Adams Commons, the skilled nursing and rehabilitation center on Franklin Street, Russo, a member of 天美麻花星空高清mv鈥檚 Class of 2012, is responsible for quite a lot. She plans and executes marketing campaigns, enrolls new residents, works on community outreach projects, and more鈥攁nd her 天美麻花星空高清mv political science and public policy major is still helping guide her in that work.
As a student, Russo, who grew up in Pittsfield, had a job answering phones at Berkshire Medical Center. Before moving into her current position about a year ago, she was lead certified application counselor at Berkshire Health Systems鈥 Advocacy for Access, which helps uninsured and underinsured people access health care services. (Berkshire Healthcare Systems, the sister company to Berkshire Health Systems, owns and operates North Adams Commons.)
鈥淗ealth care policy has always been interesting to me, but there鈥檚 a whole social work piece when you鈥檙e helping people apply for MassHealth and Medicare benefits,鈥 Russo said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always loved to help people from that end. Working here is great because I kind of inadvertently get to do some social work鈥攂ut I also get to do so much community outreach.鈥
Learning about health care and public policy at 天美麻花星空高清mv ended up giving Russo rich context around the work she does.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so much you can do as a political science major you don鈥檛 realize until you get out in the work force,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think having that background has really helped me understand health care in action when you look at it from a policy perspective.鈥
As a student, Russo remembers going to the Women鈥檚 Global Leadership Conference in Abu Dhabi with former Professor Petra Hejnova. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have gotten that experience anywhere else,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he fact she was willing to do that, take us, and plan a whole class around it was really phenomenal.鈥
鈥淚 think I learned a lot of really great, fundamental things around problem solving, communication, politics, and health care policy. Having a really great, well-rounded education has helped in more ways than one,鈥 Russo said.
Russo鈥檚 favorite part of her job? 鈥淭he fact I can see how directly my work is affecting the people that come in,鈥 she said. 鈥淪ometimes, all someone needs is someone to support them, and be friendly, and encourage them. It makes a world of difference in their rehabilitation.鈥
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