(Publisher’s note: a change was made in this story to reflect the correct name of Olivia’s biology teacher at Chelsea High School. We apologize for the error. )
By Crystal Hayduk
[This story is part of the Willard H. Johnson Scholarship recipient series. Related story here: https://chelseaupdate.com/pay-it-forward-principle-21-years-and-counting-of-willard-h-johnson-scholarships/]
Olivia DeTroyer-Cooley utilizes a wide variety of skills and knowledge as an industrial engineer at Michigan Medicine. Her job is to find solutions in any area of the hospital that needs improvement, from long wait times for patients to supply problems for physicians and everything in between. “We try to streamline processes to make it better for patients and employees,” Olivia said.
Olivia, a nearly lifelong resident of Chelsea, received the Willard H. Johnson Scholarship in 2010, when she graduated from Chelsea High School. She is the daughter of Barbara Johnstone, whose employment as a systems analyst at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital made her eligible for the scholarship. “My mom just retired on March 13 after 28 years of service, right as the pandemic hit and shut things down,” she said.
Her father is Rick DeTroyer, who became a well-known iron artist following his retirement from teaching high school in Ann Arbor.
When Olivia was in high school, she wavered between journalism and engineering, two wildly different career paths. She admitted she didn’t fully comprehend what engineering was, but her math and science teachers told her she’d excel in it. “I took their word for it,” she said. “I decided to start with engineering and if I didn’t like it, I would switch to journalism. I ended up loving it, so I can’t complain.”
Olivia graduated from the University of Michigan in December, 2013, earning a bachelor of science in engineering after only three and a half years. Taking AP classes in high school and planning a fast track reduced her time in college. “I managed it by putting more stress on myself than I needed to, but it saved some money, so it was nice in that sense,” she said.
Although she’s thankful for the influence of many great teachers, Olivia credits two in particular for teaching her the value of hard work. “My biology teacher, Mr. [Brett] Salamin, pushed me to try hard and had faith in me to follow whatever dreams I had,” she said.
“And, although it seems a bit disconnected, Adam Taylor, who taught advanced fitness, was instrumental in my career,” Olivia said. “He pushed me to try hard, and helped me to learn what I was capable of and that working hard will pay off.”
Olivia believes running track in high school also contributes to her success. Being part of a team forged an essential competence in learning how to work with and rely on others. She still runs, although not competitively. “A run at the end of the day is great for stress relief, especially when there’s a lot going on.”
Since COVID-19 came ashore, she’s definitely had a great deal to manage. “The pandemic required an ‘all hands on deck’ response in the hospital to be prepared for the first influx of patients,” said Olivia, whose regular work projects were put on hold. Her hours increased, as well as the responsibility to manage problems that arose, whether after hours or on weekends. “It was a huge learning curve for everyone everywhere.” Although many parts of the hospital are still on high alert, Olivia has recently been able to return to most of her pre-pandemic projects, which is positive news.
When she’s not at work, Olivia enjoys exploring local parks with her husband, Dakota Cooley, whom she married in 2018. “We’re trying to perfect pizza making, so that’s been fun during the pandemic, too,” she said.
Being near family is one of Olivia’s highest priorities, which is why she chose to make her home in Chelsea. She relocated to Pittsburgh for her first post-college job, but it didn’t take long before she missed her parents and sisters―and Dakota―enough to move back.
Olivia believes that efforts to gain understanding and empathy can help anyone who is feeling frustrated by problems or issues in everyday life. Her work as an industrial engineer is proof of the importance of observation and clear communication, skills that would also have been crucial had she pursued journalism. “Since we’re looking at changing processes, one of the big things about my job is that we always have to talk to the people who actually do the work and see what they do,” she said. “It’s too easy to misunderstand. It’s integral to what I do to meet with people and talk with people and truly try to understand.”
[About Michigan Medicine (MM)
One of the largest hospitals in Michigan, MM is a nationally recognized academic medical center located in Ann Arbor. Its mission is to “advance health to serve Michigan and the world,” and its vision is to change care and lives through discoveries. MM’s core values include caring, integrity, innovation, and teamwork. To learn more or connect with MM, visit their website at https://www.uofmhealth.org/.]
