"It's never too late to start college — if you have something you'd like to pursue that requires a degree, pursue it!"
Pronouns
He/Him
Degree/Certificate & Class Year
Associate of Applied Science Radiologic Sciences, 2024
Hometown
Yakima
Extracurriculars (E.G., Clubs, YVC Sports Teams)
Army National Guard Band
What three words would you use to describe YVC?
Convenient, Innovative, Progressive
What’s your favorite class? Why? How has it expanded your knowledge?
Radiographical positioning. It's expanded my knowledge by teaching me how to correctly
position patients in an x-ray examination.
Who is your mentor on campus? Why do you consider this person your mentor?
[Radiologic Sciences Instructor] Michele Coville is one of the best leaders I've had
the pleasure of working with in my entire career. I'm an older student at 38 years
old so I've had the opportunity to see great leadership in my life and she fits that
criterion superbly.
What made you want to come to YVC?
The YVC Radiologic Sciences program is known to be not only a great program in the
state, but the best program in the state. If I was going to do this career for the
rest of my life, I wanted the best education to start it out.
How did you decide on a major?
Trial and error and a lot of life lessons. My wife is a nurse [and] COVID happened,
which gave me the opportunity to go to school, and she suggested I might like this
field. I did a few job shadows and realized I could do this for the next few decades
and be happy!
Are there any barriers that you’ve overcome to be successful at YVC? Please describe.
I'm a father of two young boys ...1 and 3. I own a home, I'm in the National Guard,
and I'm married to my beautiful bride. Simply being able to keep up with schoolwork,
maintain a household, keep a great relationship with my wife, do my duty as a guardsman
and teach my kids all I can have been the barriers that I've overcome.
What do you like or find most interesting about your major?
Getting an excellent grasp on human anatomy and physiology. That’s a prerequisite
for the program but it’s such an overview you don’t really get into a lot. Being detailed
on the boney structures of the body and being confident in the knowledge beyond just
testing on it has been amazing.
Where do you find your community on campus?
Within my cohort. We study hard and enjoy off time together as well.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
I give this advice from someone who started school at 36 — it's never too late — if
you have something you'd like to pursue that requires a degree, pursue it! Get your
community supporting you and go for it. I'm so happy I get to be in patient care rather
than in sales and I couldn't have done it without taking that scary step of getting
into classes and driving through my fear to make it happen.
What’s your favorite spot on campus?
My rad tech lab!
How has Yakima Valley College changed you?
It's continually changing me through the people I am in classes with and the staff
that's teaching me. I'm learning that even though I'm older than most of them, I still
have a place within their ranks, and it feels really good.
How do you manage stress?
Compartmentalizing in a healthy way. I have school time, family time, Army time, and me time. I have to be very organized because I'm very ADD, so that helps a lot.
Do you have a job? How do you work that into your schedule?
I have a part-time job, only. My program is intense enough (on top of my husband and fatherly duties) I don't have much extra time for more work right now.
What do you view is your biggest achievement at YVC?
Being on the President’s List for the three quarters I've been here.
Did you receive any financial aid or scholarship funding to attend YVC? If so, please
describe how this helped you on your journey.
Worker Retraining, if available to you, is amazing. Also, the Army National Guard is the only way my
family is able to afford this. They have such great funding help it makes it a no brainer to be able to afford school. The cost of time is far less
than the rewards you receive.
What is your ultimate goal? Where would you like to end up?
A radiologist assistant, PA-C. I'd like to be part owner of an urgent care with radiology
onsite with an ARNP family member with my friends as my rad techs and my wife as the
charge nurse for the facility.