The Missouri State HOSA organization has taken on a vast number of alterations this year, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Elected as Missouri HOSA president in March 2020, Ben Ell has taken on the responsibility of innovating the workings of HOSA to fit the current environment.

“As president, I have to reimagine many of the events we’re doing,” Ell said. “Whether that means having them virtually, trying to combine things, or create new opportunities for people.”

Ell’s journey through HOSA, the organization for aspiring medical students, began his freshman year. He decided to join the club after his initial exposure to the biomedical sciences in some of his classes.

“I was in the Principles of Biomedical Science Class, and I became interested in that kind of science stuff,” Ell said. “I thought HOSA would be a good way to explore my future career goals.”

After holding an active position in the club for a few years and holding a cabinet position for the FHN chapter of HOSA his junior year, Ell decided to pursue a position of higher importance within the organization.

“Whenever we would go to state conferences he was always very interested in the cabinet positions,” said senior HOSA member Brandi Stover. “He would always pay close attention to what kinds of things they were doing.”

In March 2020, Ell was named Missouri HOSA state president, and shortly after was also named president of the FHN HOSA chapter.

“I was excited for him wanting to do it,” said Christopher Dalton, the FHN HOSA adviser. “I thought it was a great opportunity for him.”

Ell’s role as president looks quite different from previous years. In addition to the regular planning and execution of events, Ben has also been given the task of altering the workings of HOSA in response to COVID-19.

“It’s really about adapting to these changes,” Ell said. “One of the core values of HOSA is innovation, and this year is really about innovation because nothing is what we thought it would be.”

COVID-19 has posed many challenges to HOSA, most of which Ell has overcome by his implementation of innovative ideas. For example, this year’s Missouri HOSA Fall Leadership Conference was reorganized into a completely virtual event.

“This year’s Fall Leadership Conference went really well,” Stover said. “Although it was completely reinvented through a virtual platform, all the state officers, including Ben, found ways of making the event a real success.”

Throughout the uncertainty of the pandemic, Ell has thrived under the conditions through hard work and a positive mentality.

“Ben is so driven,” Dalton said. “He is determined, goal oriented, and he always knows what he wants to get done.”