Atlantic Cape graduates 17 radiologic technicians

The Shore Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology celebrated its latest graduates this week.

The Class of 2025 graduated 17, including 10 who received associate in applied science degrees during the ceremony at the Walter E. Edge Theater on Atlantic Cape’s Mays Landing Campus.

Shore Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology Program Director Kerry Raymond spoke highly of each and every graduate for their commitment, hard work and compassion to deliver the best patient care possible.

“We are very fortunate to partner with Atlantic Cape Community College, so our students can complete their associate degree, while earning their certificate of completion from the radiology school," Raymond said. "Our student body has never wavered in their commitment to provide compassionate and highly competent care, to our families and our community.

"This is a demographically dynamic group, he continued. "Some of them are not too far from the high school days and some started college a little bit when they came into the program. Some have been working for a little while and they just wanted to change their career. Some are parents, some had medical backgrounds and some had none, but regardless of where they came from or why they decided to come to radiology school, it became a very cohesive group."

Since the Class of 2025 began its cohort in September 2023, they have completed more than 1,300 hours of hands-on training and more than 50 competencies.

• Five awards were presented to the graduates for their outstanding efforts throughout the year:
• The Academic Achievement Award for the highest GPA was presented to Alison Pass.
• The Outstanding Clinical Performance Award was presented to Lauren Sacco.
• The Joseph DiOrio Community Service Memorial Award was presented to Lauren Sacco.
• The Alan Beatty Leadership Award was presented to Caelah Powers.
• The Madeline Smock Scholarship Award was presented to Gloria Hope, Pass, Powers and Rebecca Raff.

"They're highly compassionate, knowledgeable and hold a high ethical standard," Raymond said of the class. "These attributes are very highly valued when it comes to working with those that are injured or ill. They are accountable for their actions. They take great pride in their work. Each member is flexible in their ability to work as an individual or as a team, and in healthcare that really is a critical strength.”

Each graduate also personally received a School of Radiologic Technology certificate of completion and pin.

Keynote speaker Cara Gansert, who is a clinical preceptor and 2020 alumna of Shore Medical Center’s Radiologic Technology program, praised the graduates for their perseverance and their enduring dedication to the radiologic program.

“I am so proud of these students beside me," Gansert said. "They have just poured 21 months of blood, sweat and tears, sometimes not even their own, into this highly-competitive program. Between the countless hours of classwork and the clinical hours that are put in each week, those 21 months can sometimes feel as though they may never end.

"Some days it may have felt overwhelming or repetitive," she added. "I have no doubt that what this program has taught you will reflect in the success that you will bring to your respective careers as radiologic technologists.”

Class representatives Powers and Raff together thanked their many instructors and professors, while also cherishing the many memories and friends that have been made.

“We persevered, and that's what made all the difference. We've mastered a myriad of concepts from studying every part of the expert tube to the countless radiation safety protocols. I can confidently say that each and every one of these graduates on stage have demonstrated exceptional discipline, confidence, and intelligence. What set us apart wasn't just our clinical achievements, but the bond we built. We supported each other through every challenge and became more than classmates. We became a team, a trauma-bond a team, but a team nonetheless.”

Founded in 1992, Radiologic Technology is a cooperative program that meets the needs of students desiring certification and employment as a Radiologic Technologist. The American Registry for Radiologic Technologists requires students to have a minimum of an associate degree from an accredited institution, such as Atlantic Cape, for eligibility to take the ARRT certification examination. The program currently has more than 300 alumni.

The program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technologists and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, NJ DEP Bureau of X-ray Compliance, and is completed in two phases. The pre-professional phase of the program, which includes courses in general education, mathematics, and science, is completed at Atlantic Cape. The professional phase of the program, which includes the radiologic technology courses and clinical experiences, is completed at Shore Medical Center. 

Upon having completed the required 60 college credits and receiving a certificate of all program requirements from SMCSRT, Atlantic Cape grants an associate in applied science degree.