Sinclair360

Bobbie Gerhart
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Miami Valley Hospital

Sinclair profile
•    Associate degree in Nursing (1979)

Coming full circle

Bobbie Gerhart knows the importance of helping other people achieve the skills they need to succeed. As a young mother with three small children, Bobbie made the decision to attend Sinclair Community College while serving on the emergency medical squad for West Carrollton. Now, as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Miami Valley Hospital, she’s making sure that other people have the same opportunities she did.

“I chose Sinclair because of the flexibility and attractive tuition rate,” said Bobbie. “Plus, there were people there my own age. I wasn’t a traditional student, and working with other adults helped me to enjoy attending school while raising my children and working part time.”

Even though she managed multiple responsibilities while at Sinclair, Bobbie knows that the training she received prepared her well for the professional world. “When I took my first job with Sinclair after graduation, I felt clinically ready and became a nurse leader within a year,” she said. “At Sinclair we did clinicals in each of the medical facilities in Dayton. I had the opportunity to work with a variety of people in a variety of settings, which prepared me well to assume more and more leadership.

“My favorite thing about Sinclair is that the school makes dreams possible, with few [of the] barriers that are prevalent at other colleges. Anyone has a chance to succeed, and the diversity is so positive,” Bobbie said. “Whether your GPA is a 4.0 or a 2.0, you can succeed at Sinclair.

“I still feel connected to Sinclair through my work at Miami Valley Hospital. Our CEO is on Sinclair’s board, and we actively recruit students from Sinclair’s Nursing and Allied Health departments. We know that they are great students who deserve a great clinical experience. Plus, we haven’t experienced a nursing shortage in the same way as other regions, because there are so many talented students coming to us from Sinclair.”

Bobbie’s passions for Sinclair and helping other people succeed are also evident in her work with Dayton’s Artemis Center for Alternatives to Domestic Violence and Daybreak organizations. “Both of these groups help people out of horrible circumstances and find them new life. They support people in obtaining a high school or college degree, and Sinclair helps to make this possible; Sinclair is so important to our community.”

By Meghann Heft

Meghann Heft recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Dayton. She can be reached at meghann.heft@gmail.com.