Jessica Scarato, MS (’24), is Logan University’s registrar, where she is able to blend her passion for data and education. After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with degrees in Psychology and Sociology in 2012, she moved to St. Louis with her husband to chart the next chapter of her life. Initially considering law school, Jessica took time to explore her career path while starting a family. Her journey eventually led her to Logan University in 2018, where she began as a student records assistant in the Registrar’s Office and then became registrar in 2022.
Jessica’s role as registrar is essential to the university’s operations. She is detail-oriented and deeply committed to maintaining accurate student data, ensuring that all departments can access the information they need to function effectively. Her intrigue with data, and its application in education, drove her to pursue a Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI) to better understand and organize data in ways that improve outcomes.
Jessica began the MSHI program in the summer of 2023, managing to complete it in just a year and a half. She was initially enrolled part-time while balancing her full-time job and responsibilities as a mother of two. In her final two trimesters, she transitioned to full-time coursework, crediting the program’s flexible structure for allowing her to balance work, family, and school successfully.
“The structure of the program allows you to balance all your roles and still feel like you’re winning,” she said.
Jessica’s hard work was recognized and she was inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, named to the President’s Honor Roll, graduated with high distinctions and received the Evidence Informed Award and the J. Clay McDonald Student Excellence Award.
One of Jessica’s favorite classes in the MSHI program was Data Mining, taught by Alexjandro Daviano, DN, DO, DrPH, MSDS, MPH.
“Dr. Daviano approached the course with so much energy and realism,” she said. “He made complex and potentially tedious content engaging and relatable.”
Another standout experience was the Data Visualization course with Darren Rauscher, Ed.D., MBA which she found equally enlightening.
“The faculty members are incredibly knowledgeable in their fields, and their insights were invaluable. Even in an online format, you still feel connected to them and the material,” she said.
Jessica’s MSHI degree has had a direct impact on her work as registrar. She uses her knowledge to structure data within the educational realm, creating a seamless experience for students and enabling other departments to make evidence-informed decisions. “Accurate data allows us to analyze information quickly and trust the results,” she explained.