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Deanna Becker – 2024 Sonography Student Scholarship Recipient

The winner of the 2024 Sonography Student Scholarship is Deanna Becker from Bellin College. Congratulations Deanna!

The winner of the 2024 Sonography Student Scholarship is Deanna Becker from Bellin College!

I selected Bellin College as my institution to earn my degree because of what a special program it is. I attended a day camp opportunity at the college, just before my senior year of high school, where I could go for the day and experience each of their allied health programs and see or utilize some of their technology for each program. I was able to test out four programs– sonography, radiology, radiation therapy, and surgical assisting. I fell in love with the sonography program instantly.

I knew I wanted to be a cardiac sonographer from the time I was in elementary school. As a baby, I was diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve, meaning I have gotten countless ultrasounds of my heart. I had also bonded with my sonographer, and I knew that someday I wanted to be able to do what she did for me– make kids in that position feel a little bit better, and go through that journey with them.

Something fairly new to our cardiovascular program has to do with our accreditation. In January 2024, Bellin College received its accreditation in pediatric echocardiography, making it the first Bachelor-level program in the United States. This is hugely important to me especially because not only is working in pediatric cardiac sonography my dream, but I also will be getting the highest level of education possible in the nation.

Because of how personal this dream is to me, I knew picking the right institution was an important step to achieving this success the right way. I toured a few different schools, but none of them could compare to what Bellin College had to offer. The sonography lab has 10 beds and machines ranging in a variety of brands to train and prepare the students to be ready for whatever their clinical sites and future job has set for them.

Another one of my favorite things about the program is that it offers an ergonomic class for its students right in the beginning when they are starting to scan. This is a unique opportunity that Bellin offers and the only program in the country to do so. Anyone in the realm of sonography knows how common injuries in the wrist, neck, and back are for a sonographer, and this class offers ways to combat and prevent these injuries. Taught by a physical therapist, the class teaches proper ergonomic techniques the future sonographers can utilize when scanning in their daily lives. This is an opportunity that is quite unique, one of the only of its kind in the country, and I am so thankful for it.

An additional aspect that drew me into the program was how small the class size is. My program of cardiovascular has about six students, meaning the attention of the professors and instructors can be well divided to each student, ensuring the proper education is distributed to all. The sonography program as a whole has a total of only nineteen students when including both the cardiovascular and general vascular tracks, meaning there is always the ability to ask questions and confer with our professors. Each of us can have very personal relationships with our professors and teachers, meaning we are more than just a number or a face in the crowd.

Finally, I chose Bellin College because I love how much the institution cares for its students. It has countless resources for students not only academically, but also for their personal health and well-being. The college offers 6 free therapy sessions per semester per student, which is such a unique and wonderful opportunity to share with our community. In addition, although the student body is small, our extra curricular clubs and activities are growing each semester. Each student is always heard when they have the desire to start a club or join an existing group on campus, making it easier for each student to find their place. A big theme Bellin College faculty expressed to us in the first semester of our freshman year was that they wanted everyone to find a sense of belonging in the Bellin College community, and I think they did an incredible job making sure that happened. An example of this is their Week of Welcome camp hosted the week prior to the start of students freshman year. This 3 day retreat gave me the ability to meet students I wouldn’t have met otherwise as well as gain friends that have helped me get through my college experience thus far.

Overall, there are countless reasons as to why I chose Bellin College to be my program. Its vast resources, small class sizes with highly qualified professors, level of care for its students, and its extraordinary and prominent quality of education make it what I believe is the best environment possible for me. I know I am learning countless skills, both personal and professional, which will help me achieve my childhood dream of being a successful pediatric cardiac sonographer.

2024 Sonography Scholarship Selection Committee Volunteers

A special thank you to the 2024 Sonography Scholarship Selection Committee.  Please join us in thanking these wonderful volunteers for their contributions to the sonography community!

Sonography Student Scholarship The Ultrasound Schools Info student scholarship is a national, annual, non-renewable $1,000 scholarship awarded to an aspiring sonographer currently enrolled in a CAAHEP accredited diagnostic medical sonography program, or a high school student who has been accepted to a program.

About Ultrasound Schools Info Ultrasound Schools Info is a leading resource for those researching a career in diagnostic medical sonography (DMS). We provide an entry point for potential students to research and connect with accredited ultrasound technician programs.

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April 12, 2024