Gina Deckard (Class of 2011)

Gina Deckard earned her B.A. in Anthropology from USA in 2011, where she developed a special interest in cultural anthropology. She later returned to USA to earn a Master’s degree in Instructional Design in 2018 and completed her Ph.D. in Higher Education Policy at the University of Cincinnati in 2026.

Gina currently serves as the Director of Admissions at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, where she oversees medical school admissions and the undergraduate early assurance program. She began her career in pre-health advising before transitioning into academic medicine and eventually advancing into admissions leadership. Her work has focused on how students navigate educational pathways and how institutional practices shape opportunities for future physicians, with research interests in admissions assessment, interview practices, and socioeconomic differences in access to medical education.

Reflecting on her Anthropology education, Gina shares:

“I never imagined my Anthropology degree would lead me to medical school admissions, but I draw on that background regularly. Anthropology taught me to appreciate how people’s experiences and opportunities are shaped by their social and cultural environments, a perspective I often share with colleagues as we consider the different paths applicants take toward medicine. Recognizing how valuable that foundation has been in my own career, I often encourage students interested in higher education to consider anthropology as a starting point for their own professional paths.”

Gina also credits the mentorship she received at USA with helping her discover her career path.

“Dr. Mark Moberg was the first faculty member who helped me see higher education as a possible career, and his influence stayed with me long enough that I included him in the acknowledgments of my doctoral dissertation. I’m incredibly grateful for the faculty and experiences I had in USA’s Anthropology Program, which helped shape a career I never would have anticipated as an undergraduate.”