Beth Just Scholarship: Honoring a Life Dedicated to HIM
By David Marc, Ph.D., CHD, Associate Professor, Department Chair & Health Informatics Graduate Program Director in Health Informatics and Information Management, The College of St. Scholastica
Beth Haenke Just, MBA, RHIA, FAHIMA, was a force to be reckoned with in the HIM world. A leader, influencer and mentor, Beth was dedicated to advancing the profession and ensuring the next generation of HIM professionals had the education and internship opportunities necessary to start them down the path to success. Her passing in 2019 left a significant void in our lives and our profession.
I was fortunate to work side-by-side with Beth at The College of St. Scholastica, where she left an indelible mark on the Health Informatics and Information Management (HIIM) program—and the College as a whole. A 1978 graduate of St. Scholastica, Beth maintained a strong connection with the College throughout her career, giving freely of her time and expertise as an adjunct professor and Trustee. Her dedication to the students extended into mentoring as well as active involvement on numerous scholarship committees.
So prolific was Beth’s engagement with St. Scholastica that she was the 2017 recipient of the prestigious Sister Alice Lamb Award, a career achievement award recognizing alumnus who have maintained a life-long commitment to the College while also making significant contributions to their profession. Fall 2020 also saw the opening of The Beth Just Residential Life Classroom on the St. Scholastica’s Duluth campus.
Beth was an indefatigable champion of the HIM profession. Over the course of her 30-year career, she guided Just Associates in the discovery and application of innovative solutions to the costs and challenges of maintaining patient data quality to improve care. She was also a frequent contributor to the HIM body of knowledge through articles, papers, presentations, and practice briefs. Her commitment extended to providing a voice for the profession as it sought to reshape its role in a continuously evolving healthcare environment through her tireless work with national and state associations, including leadership roles with AHIMA and CHIMA.
In 2020, she received the CHIMA Legacy Award in honor of her life’s work advancing the HIM profession. Now, St. Scholastica is honoring her memory with The Beth Haenke Just ‘78 Scholarship that rewards HIIM students who perform community service, excel academically and exhibit strong leadership skills — just as Beth did throughout her career.
Donating to the Beth Just HIIM Scholarship will allow undergraduates at The College of St. Scholastica to follow in her footsteps. Beth’s husband, Jerry, will match each donation, dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000.
It was an honor to know and work with Beth over the years, and I cannot think of a better way to remember all that she contributed to our school, profession and lives.
Click here to donate or learn more about Beth and the scholarship or watch this brief video tribute.
