Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

Lana Ivanitskaya, Ph.D., is a recipient of the 2024 Student Mentorship Award which recognizes faculty who go above and beyond what is expected of individuals who mentor students.  

Over the past 20 years, Ivanitskaya has served as dissertation committee chair for 37 Doctor of Health Administration students and taught more than 200 courses. Seven of her mentees have been awarded the Outstanding Dissertation Award from CMU. Students mentored by Ivanitskaya have gone on to become academic department heads, directors of doctoral programs, National Health Secretaries and more. One of her mentees currently serves as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Affairs of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Additionally, Ivanitskaya leads study abroad courses for students in health-related disciplines to learn about the Swedish and Canadian healthcare systems.

Ivanitskaya prides herself on being a mentor to all academic levels: doctoral, master’s and undergraduate. She often connects students from various levels to collaborate on research. In her mentorship, Ivanitskaya helps students pick research topics, teaches scientific methods and meets regularly to review scientific writing. As a result, many of her mentees have published research in journals or presented at international conferences.

When asked about specific mentees, Ivanitskaya mentioned the dissertation of Caren Rossow titled, “Healthcare Workers’ Willingness to Report to Work During an Influenza Pandemic.” Although this research was conducted in 2012, it led to two publications and many of the findings were relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another of Ivanitskaya’s mentees, Matthew Bogner, DHA, writes, “I can say without reservation that Dr. Ivanitskaya is the best teacher and mentor I have ever had. She has spent countless hours over the years supporting my personal and professional development. In addition, I know that she has mentored many others in the same manner. Her style is always positive, encouraging, supportive and motivating.”