Introducing “Growing With Cooper,” a new series that will highlight team members who have grown with Cooper and used Cooper resources to advance their careers. We will showcase the stories of some of our exceptional team members. May it inspire you to take advantage of the variety of resources available to you. Be sure to look for these extraordinary stories in 2024. To submit your own story, please contact coopercom@cooperhealth.edu for a chance to be featured. Please see below for Dhurata’s and Lucia’s stories.
Meet your fellow Cooper team member, Dhurata Collaku. Currently, Dhurata is Manager of Respiratory Care, but her Cooper story first began nearly two decades ago.
After being chosen from a lottery of applicants in 1999, Dhurata, her husband, and their two young children left their home in Albania and came to the U.S. in hope of finding better opportunities. Not having the ability to speak English, Dhurata had to take classes to learn an entirely new language in a completely new place. However, she didn’t let a language barrier get in between her and her dream – working in health care and helping others.
With the full support of her husband, she enrolled in the Community College of Philadelphia’s Respiratory Care Program. From 2006 through 2007, Dhurata completed her respiratory therapy clinical rotation at Cooper University Hospital and became an official Cooper respiratory therapist in 2008. She spent the next few years gaining the necessary experience, even working a second job as a respiratory therapist at another hospital, all while being a mother and wife.
In 2012, Dhurata mentioned her plans to further her education to her department director. Dhurata’s director encouraged her to take that next step in her journey and informed her of Cooper’s tuition reimbursement opportunities. With Cooper’s help, Dhurata received her bachelor’s degree in business administration in health care from Gwynedd Mercy University in 2014, and her master’s degree in business administration in health care from Eastern University in 2017. Dhurata makes sure to “pay it forward” by encouraging others to take advantage of Cooper’s tuition reimbursement opportunities. Several team members have received – or are in the process of receiving – degrees thanks to Dhurata’s support.
After her director left Cooper in 2019, Dhurata became Interim Director of Respiratory Care. However, the year 2020 rolled around and we all know what happened then. Amid one of the most challenging years in U.S. history, Dhurata found herself in a temporary leadership role in a department that was vital to combating COVID-19. Nonetheless, Dhurata met every challenge that came her way and was appointed Manager of Respiratory Care after the pandemic. In 2021, Dhurata received the Women’s Board of Allied Health Professional Excellence Award at Cooper for her tremendous efforts.
Thank you, Dhurata, for letting us share your Cooper success story. At Cooper, we encourage our team members to take advantage of the many opportunities available for career growth. Let us help you embark on your professional development journey.
Meet your fellow Cooper team member, Lucia Coia. Lucia is currently a Budget Specialist; however, her Cooper story first began 16 years ago.
Lucia joined Cooper as an account service coordinator in the Department of Surgery in 2007. This entry-level position taught Lucia many skills, but it also made her fall in love with Cooper. In 2010, Lucia saw a job posting on the the Cooper job site for a senior buyer position in the Purchasing Department and decided to apply. She saw this as not only an opportunity for a pay increase, but a chance to work in another area of Cooper. For another three years, Lucia gained more experience, industry knowledge, and skills before she decided to see what other opportunities Cooper had to offer her. In 2013, Lucia knew that the previous budget specialist in the Communications and Marketing Department was retiring and decided to apply for that position as well. For the past decade, Lucia has managed the Communications and Marketing Department’s budget all because she decided to take that next step in her professional journey.
Lucia’s go-getter attitude did not stop there. It had always been her goal to go back to school and finish her degree. From 2017 through 2020, Lucia took classes online and received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wilmington University. Lucia is currently in the process of receiving her master’s degree in business administration from the same university – all with Cooper’s tuition assistance.
“If your schedule allows it, I think everyone should take advantage of the resources Cooper offers us. I decided to enhance my education and fine-tune my skills to better myself,” Lucia says. “Getting your foot in the door at Cooper is the first accomplishment. Once you are here, there is so much room to move around and grow. Cooper is a large organization, and there is something for everyone if you look for it.”
During her time at Cooper, Lucia has worked with three different departments, given birth to her son, John Carlo, at our hospital, received a college degree, and made friendships that will last a lifetime. Thank you, Lucia, for letting us share your growth at Cooper.