History and political science alumna parlays diverse skillset into career with the Cleveland Clinic

As a program manager for the value-based operations team at the Cleveland Clinic, political science and history alumna Audrey Hudak ’11 dedicates each day to improving her community’s well-being. Fueled by her passion to lead and impact others, Hudak draws upon her diverse skillset honed through her liberal arts education at The College of Wooster to provide valuable healthcare initiatives to those in need. 

Hudak first learned of Wooster while attending an economics camp hosted at the College while in high school. The experience helped her recognize that Wooster matched what she was looking for in a college. Hudak loved the idea of learning in a small, intimate environment while having the opportunity to pursue music without majoring in the subject. Upon attending, music programs became a formative aspect of her Wooster experience. She participated in marching band, symphonic band, and brass choir, experiences she supplemented with other extracurricular activities including moot court and on-campus volunteer organizations. “I always wanted music to be a part of my life. To be able to grow as a musician at Wooster was an extremely valuable experience,” Hudak said. 

In the classroom, she further embraced the liberal arts spirit. Hudak entered Wooster unsure about her major, knowing only that she wanted to impact others in some way. As a result, she took a variety of different courses before eventually opting to major in political science and history. “A liberal arts education really teaches you to think, analyze, and critically ask questions,” Hudak said. “These are useful skills after graduating.” 

Her interest in serving others followed her into life after Wooster, where she initially attended law school. There, she quickly learned that being a lawyer was not the way she wanted to serve her community. “I asked myself, ‘Why am I here?’ What is it that I really want out of a career?’” Hudak said. “I decided that what I really wanted to do was use the skills Wooster gave me to impact people’s lives.” The realization informed her decision to instead pursue a master’s in public administration, a path that Hudak found better aligned with her long-term career goals by allowing her to explore professions where she could work directly with communities in need. 

Through her position with the Cleveland Clinic, Hudak often works alongside these communities.  She manages up to four projects at a time focused on issues related to population health or the well-being of large groups of people. Often, her work includes addressing subjects such as disease prevention and mortality rates within specific communities. Project’s overseen by Hudak have resulted in the creation of a new blood test that detects lead exposure in young children, a simplified method of drawing blood from babies, and the creation of a tool that allows patients to directly share their blood pressure levels with their doctors digitally. Hudak finds these experiences greatly enriching. “Working in a place where I can make a real impact is absolutely paramount to me,” she said. “These projects demonstrate that my work impacts people.” 

Hudak credits skills acquired through her academic majors for setting her up for success in life post-Wooster. She recalls her political science education helping her understand the politics of specific groups or organizations. “Understanding how the internal politics of the organization that you are a part of works will help you thrive and be successful,” Hudak said. She also remembers her history classes having a drastic impact on her ability as a writer. In particular, she credits Jeff Roche, professor of history at Wooster, for teaching her to streamline her writing and produce concise thoughts, skills she frequently harkens upon in her career.  

“I interact with a lot of people with technical degrees.” Hudak said. “They do not receive what Wooster gave me. Wooster taught me how to think.” 

Posted in Alumni on May 8, 2025.