Lauren Schroth, BS ’16, felt inspired to enter the health care profession after spending time at the National Institutes of Health. An introduction to the world of senior housing administration by professor Andrew Carle and various work experiences in the field during the past four years helped guide her to discovering her passion for serving the elderly. “My favorite part of my job is developing lasting relationships with residents and family members. I want to make the elderly happy, and as a future administrator, I see an opportunity to develop havens before Heaven where my residents are put first, participate in fun activities, and have a high quality of life,” Schroth said. During her time at Mason, Schroth worked in various types of senior housing. She started her experience living in a nursing home in the hills of Scranton, Pennsylvania where she spent a lot of time in the activities department. Schroth has also worked as an activities assistant in an assisted living community and interned at a nonprofit continuing care retirement community. Schroth’s passion and experience helped her land a job before graduation at an assisted living community near her home in Loudoun County. She then used her networking connections to obtain another position, relocating back to Fairfax County, where she serves as an activities coordinator in a senior housing community. Schroth hopes to continue to learn from her mentors and gain additional knowledge and experience to eventually become an executive director of an assisted living community.