Janet Smith is a finalist in a video contest for a full-tuition scholarship to Lipscomb University’s graduate business school. | Special to the Enquirer

Joy Harris

Hartselle Enquirer

A Hartselle High School graduate is a finalist for a full tuition scholarship to Lipscomb University’s graduate business school.

Janet Smith submitted a video to Lipscomb’s Degree of Difference scholarship competition describing how she is one degree away from making a difference in her own life and the lives of others. Last week she was notified that she one of five finalist in the competition. An online voting public voting process that ends Friday will determine the winner.

Smith said that because of financial reasons, this competition is an all or nothing chance for her. Lipscomb is the one of the only universities with Healthcare Informatics as an area of study.

Health care informatics is a combination of health care, business and technology.

“Health care informatics is taking large amounts of data and using them to make crucial changes in healthcare,” Smith said. “This area of study would let me change the perspective of the healthcare problem.”

Her video explains how she plans to “utilize data to change the course of chronic diseases, track infectious diseases, utilize telemedicine and reduce unnecessary procedures.”

Smith, a 1995 graduate of HHS, is currently working in Nashville. She received her business degree from the University of Alabama-Huntsville. After entering the technology field, Smith said she found it hard to advance in the workplace.

“It is difficult as a woman in technology,” Smith said. “I wasn’t being able to achieve what I wanted, so that motivated me to go back and get more skills and education. Before I could get my master’s degree, I started working in healthcare where I really found what makes me tick. I am now really passionate about healthcare because I feel it’s where I can make the biggest difference.”

In order to fulfill her dream of earning her master’s business degree in healthcare informatics, Smith is asking for the support of her hometown to vote for her. Votes can be cast at onedegreeaway.lipscomb.edu. Voters will be asked to choose a contestant’s video and click “Cast Vote” before entering a CAPTCHA to submit a vote. Poll results will appear once the vote has been submitted.

People are allowed to vote once a day until 11:59 p.m. June 20.