Alumna Makes a Difference for Children and Families

Blanca Lilia Hernandez, a 2024 alumna of EWU’s online child life graduate program, now serves as a certified Child Life Specialist at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center in California, where she utilizes a holistic approach to advocate for human dignity and offer compassionate, family-centered clinical care of the highest quality.

While searching for her ideal child life graduate program, Hernandez learned about EWU via an online information session. She was drawn to the child life program’s affordability, flexibility and practicality. “I was able to work full-time, study from the comfort of my home [in California] and tend to my work and household responsibilities with the opportunity to continue my education,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez had aspired to be a pediatrician and a teacher for as long as she could remember. After completing her Bachelor of Science in 2015 at the University of California, Davis, Hernandez combined her passion for the biological sciences with physiology and behavioral studies, volunteering in the PICU at the UC Davis Children’s Hospital and serving as a board-certified behavioral therapist for neurodivergent children at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders.

“Through these experiences, I began showing up as a child life specialist in my work every day,” Hernandez said, “and I believed it until I became it.”

Once admitted into EWU’s child life online graduate program in 2021, Hernandez continued her education via extension coursework while working full time at her local school district. During this time, she completed two child life practicum experiences, one virtual and one in-person, adding up to a total of 284 hours. Hernandez said this prepared her for the rigorous, 600-hour child life internship she would later land at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in California.

Hernandez was awarded The Krumble Foundation Internship Stipend at EWU in 2023, which helped lighten the financial load of her education during her internship. Upon graduation, Hernandez was also awarded The Krumble Foundation Scholar Medallion to honor the positive contributions she made at SCVMC.

“My goal is to minimize distress and maximize coping for hospitalized children and their families by offering respite and support to improve psychosocial and emotional wellness,” Hernandez said. “My passion for serving children and their families at the hospital is a dream come true! I will always be grateful for my experiences through EWU, which helped transform my dream into reality. I am so proud to be an Eagle!”

Thanks to instructors like Katie Walker, assistant professor and director of the Children’s Studies Program, and Belinda Hammond, senior lecturer, Hernandez felt prepared to make informed assessments, provide adaptable interventions and fulfill the everyday responsibilities of a child life professional upon graduation.

Hernandez also attributes a portion of her success to the EWU Writer’s Center, and to Writer’s Center responder, Darcy Bradley.

“Darcy was a key player in my success at EWU,” Hernandez said, attributing her strong cover letter and resume to the expertise and care that Bradley provided.

“She was always generous with her time and energy in providing guidance in my writing as a scholar. Thanks to her, my written assignments for my academic classes, my applications for internship opportunities and my creative research project thesis in culmination of the completion of my master’s degree at EWU were made possible.”

Hernandez recommends that any student seeking additional support to succeed academically seek help from the Writer’s Center, touting their easily assessable online appointments.

Last summer in 2024, Hernandez presented at the California Association for Child Life Professionals at Kaiser Roseville. There she met Professor Hammond in-person for the first time. After the meeting, Hammond shared, “I had the privilege of attending Blanca’s CACLP presentation of her final internship project and she captivated the room with her insightful presentation. Blanca was meant to do this work, and Kaiser Oakland is so lucky to have her on their team.”

Story written by Rachel Weinberg, GSA, University Relations, in collaboration with Blanca Lilia Hernandez, and the EWU Writers’ Center.