Northwestern State University student Jessica Love has been selected to participate in the American Society of Radiologic Technologists 2017 Student Leadership Development Program.

The program will be held in Orlando, Florida June 21-25. Love will take part in educational conferences taught by national leaders in the field of radiologic science. She will also be able to attend the ASRT Annual Governance and House of Delegates meeting. The votes that are cast in the meeting shape the field of radiologic technology in the United States.

“Jessica is an outstanding student who actively serves her class and the University,” said Assistant Professor of Radiologic Sciences and Clinical Coordinator Joel Hicks. “By attending this program, Jessica will be able to see many of the things that are on the horizon within our field, and bring these items back to share with fellow students.”

Love, a junior radiologic sciences major from Harvey, is active in the Shreveport campus Student Government Association, serving as Radiologic Sciences senator and recording secretary. She participates in the Radiologic Science Honors Program, which involves additional research and other scholarly activity above and beyond the normal classroom requirements.

“This is an incredible honor,” said Love. “The program will allow me to watch educational sessions that can help prepare me for the Registry, the national examination that certifies students after they graduate. I will be able to network with professionals such as educators, technologists, employers and more from across the country.”

Love learned about the program at the 2016 Louisiana Society of Radiologic Technologists’ Annual Conference.

“I was able to watch two students who had gone to the program give a presentation about their time there,” said Love. “They had pictures of them meeting professionals from across the country and discussed how much fun the event was. They also talked about how much they learned about the professional nature of the radiologic sciences field. I knew instantly that I wanted to go, and I actually found one of the previous students that had attended to ask her questions.”

Love was interested in majoring in radiologic sciences because graduates in the field are in high demand. After taking classes, she developed a deep interest in the field.

“I did not realize how much I would love this program until my very first day in radiation physics, with one of my professors, Kelli Haynes,” said Love. “I loved the physics class, and that kept me motivated until we began clinical rotations in the hospitals. After my first semester in clinical, I knew I had found the career for me and that I wanted to continue pursuing opportunities within the radiologic sciences field.”

Love has high praise for Northwestern State’s radiologic sciences faculty.

“Northwestern’s radiologic sciences professors are amongst the best in the country,” said Love. “The faculty work hard to ensure that the students understand the material and are ready to begin taking x-rays as soon as we walk into clinic on our first day. They continue pushing us to get better with each day so that when we graduate, Northwestern radiologic sciences graduates are the ones chosen by employers first in the Shreveport area.”

Love says NSU’s faculty are demanding and constantly push students to grow and improve.

“They keep the curriculum rigorous, and a student has to want to be an x-ray technologist in order to keep going through the courses,” said Love. “Despite being tough on us, the faculty are compassionate and caring. They understand that this career is difficult, and they work with the students to help us finish everything we need in order to graduate. Each faculty member pursues opportunities to improve themselves, and they motivate us to do the same. I chose Northwestern’s radiologic sciences program because I knew that the faculty would motivate me to always try to be better.”