Although she had more than 13 years of experience as an entrepreneur and more than seven years as a company president, Hawaii native Lorelei Crowder was nervous about enrolling in Boise State University’s Online Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Leadership.
“I had so much anxiety from being out of school for the last 30 years,” she said. “So much has changed. I wanted to make sure I could take my time and understand everything before the program started.”
Mission accomplished. Crowder graduated in August 2026 with a 4.0 GPA. Even with her extensive experience, the program had plenty to offer.
“The work itself surprised me because it was still relatable to everything I’ve done and gave me tools to further that, as well,” she said.
Crowder is in her eighth year as president of HiHealthCare in her hometown of Honolulu. She previously owned Cradles N Crayons, which provided bedside care to medically fragile children in the community setting.
“One night, one of my best friends and coworker and I dreamed up a plan to help take care of these kids who were stable enough to be at home, but with the equipment and complexities of their care, required more,” she said. “A lot of these families didn’t have the ability to take their kids home.”
In 2019, she joined a longtime friend and started a healthcare company that was acquired by HiHealthCare. Five years later, Crowder was ready to earn another degree.
“When my kids graduated from college, I said, ‘I think it’s my turn,’” she said. “I saw a lot of opportunities within my own organization.
“I felt itchy to do something different, to be able to expand. We hit a plateau where growth and transformation in the industry were so hard because of COVID-19, so I went back to school.”
Finding her niche
Born and raised in Honolulu, Crowder planned to attend medical school. She graduated with a degree in zoology from the University of Hawaii (UH) at Manoa in 1993.
“With my zoology degree, I was waitlisted for medical school,” she said. “Because admission was only annually, I decided to take the nursing program, which had an accelerated track. I finished in 18 months.”
When she enrolled at Boise State in 2024, Crowder had not attended a college class since she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1996, also from UH at Manoa.
“Boise State’s MBA program appealed to me,” she said. “I was looking around for something that would be online and could accommodate my work schedule. The first person I talked to was very prideful about the program. She sealed the deal when she said I could qualify for a scholarship, which I did.
“My CEO at the time was super supportive and always encouraged further learning. Being president, he also wanted me to get the insight on the business aspect of my job. When it came to finances, my goal was to learn a lot more about how they work in relation to this industry.”
The online format worked out well for Crowder despite a four-hour time difference between Honolulu and Boise.
“A lot of my work is done way ahead of time, so I have no issues with deadlines,” she said. “Everything worked out well with the time frame. Everyone was very responsive. I would get immediate messages from the instructors if I had questions on something. It wasn’t a big deal.”
Crowder benefitted from the Online MBA in Healthcare Leadership curriculum, which remains applicable to her career.
“The leadership course in my emphasis, Healthcare Professional Leadership, was a mellow class that was much more reflective than I thought it was going to be,” she said. “That was great.
“The capstone was my hardest class, but it pulled things together from several of the other classes. That was the most rewarding class. It was challenging.”
The networking opportunities from the program were also huge for Crowder, who hopes to create a pediatric medical day facility in Hawaii.
“The networking ability within the cohorts I’ve spoken with were fantastic,” she said. “I’ve made amazing friends who have come to Hawaii, and we have met up for coffee. The program gave me the ability to connect with people I had been wanting to connect with forever to make that transformation.
“They found me to be someone they wanted to engage with, as well, so I was given amazing opportunities from companies to be administrators or directors of something bigger, and it’s all because of the program and my connections.”
Feeling the horsepower
Crowder had strong support throughout her time at Boise State from her husband, Malcolm, and their children — Rusty (27) and Aislynn (24).
“They were excited for me,” she said. “When we started having kids, my husband took the opportunity to go back to school while he was working. He knew it was my time.
“The kids both played soccer. My daughter played for the U.S. Youth National Team at the U-16 to U-20 level and at UCLA and UC Irvine. Brandi Chastain takes credit for discovering her.”
Although she recently graduated from Boise State, Crowder is already seeing a strong return on investment.
“It makes me look more attractive when I’m talking to people who understand money, funding a project,” she said. “I used to think with the heart of a nurse and do things that way, but now I feel a better balance. I can speak their language. Hopefully, I can transform pediatric home healthcare that way.”
Now that she faced her fears by earning a master’s degree after a long hiatus from college, Crowder believes online is the best way to go.
“It wasn’t easy, but it’s so doable — especially if you’re going into it with the emphasis that you are passionate about,” she said. “Things fall into place. Be prepared to learn technology and roll with it.
“Things are different if you’re a little more mature, but it was a great experience. I’ve supported a couple of people in the program. I have sent them gifts when they graduated. Engage in the program; it’s so worth it.”
Learn more about the Online MBA
Earning an Online Master of Business Administration from Boise State University can open doors to new opportunities and a brighter future — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online degree is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.
Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.