Radiologic Sciences Leadership & Advocacy Program
The Radiologic Sciences Leadership & Advocacy Program (RLAP) is designed to cultivate future leaders in the radiologic sciences.
The program empowers students to become ambassadors for their profession through community education, professional development, and civic engagement, preparing them to advance the field beyond the clinical setting.
Upon successful completion of the RLAP requirements over their four semesters, students will receive:
Graduation Recognition: A distinctive, specialized honor cord to wear at commencement.
Professional Credentialing: A formal "Certificate of Radiologic Sciences Leadership & Advocacy" signed by the Department Chair and Program Director.
Financial Reward: Eligibility for a $500 departmental scholarship (awarded in their final semester).
Awards Night Recognition: Recognition at the School of Radiologic Sciences Awards ceremony.
If after reading any of this information, you have questions, email assistant professor Kim Parkinson at kimparkinson@weber.edu.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
To earn the RLAP designation, students must complete specific requirements within four distinct pillars during their four semesters in the program.
Pillar 1: Professional Engagement (The Core Requirement)
The purpose of this pillar is to engage students in the broader professional community outside of Utah.
Students must choose one of the following options:
- National Poster Presentation: Attend the annual ACERT (Association of Collegiate Educators in Radiologic Technology) Conference in Las Vegas. Create and submit an educational poster to the ACERT Student Poster Contest.
- State or National Organizational Involvement: Students can choose any of the following:
- Participate in the ASRT Student to Leadership Development Program (SLDP)
- Attend the annual ASRT conference
- Become involved in the Utah Society of Radiologic Technology (USRT)
Pillar 2: Profession Promotion (Recruitment and Outreach)
The purpose of this pillar is to educate the next generation and the public about the radiologic sciences. Students must actively participate in two major departmental outreach events during their four semesters.
Eligible Events
Dumke College of Health Professions Health Fair: Staffing the Radiologic Sciences booth, teaching vitals and radiation safety, or demonstrating equipment.
High School Workshops: Leading a station, guiding tours, or speaking to high school students about what a radiologic technologist (rad tech) does.
Introduction to Health Sciences: Teach the Introduction to Health Sciences college class about the radiology profession.
Pillar 3: Servant Leadership (Community Service)
Students must complete 20 hours of approved community service over the course of the four semesters (averaging just 5 hours a semester).
In-Department Opportunities: To reward students for supporting their own department and promoting their profession, hours spent on the following activities count directly toward these 20 hours:
- Annual Radiologic Sciences Food Drive: Organizing donation bins, marketing the drive to cohorts, collecting, counting, and delivering food to the local pantry (e.g., the WSU Weber Cares Pantry).
- Outreach Prep: Time spent prepping materials or volunteering at the Health Fair or High School Workshops (beyond the initial attendance requirement for Pillar 2).
Other Approved Service: Volunteering at local clinics, food banks, Sub-for-Santa, or university-sponsored service days.
Pillar 4: Professional Development & Leadership (Choose One)
To allow students flexibility based on their busy schedules, they must choose one activity from the following list to complete before graduation:
- Present a case study or presentation at a local/state society meeting (e.g., USRT).
- Serve as a peer mentor or tutor for first-semester Radiologic Sciences students.
- Attend a Weber State nondepartmental leadership workshop or seminar (e.g., through the Shepherd Union Leadership Center).
- Write an article or student reflection for the department or state newsletter or social media pages.
- Student-designed Leadership Initiative: students may submit a customized proposal for a self-directed professional development or leadership project. Examples of what students can propose are:
- Campus or Clinical Workshop: Organizing and hosting a peer-to-peer educational session or guest speaker event on an emerging healthcare topic (e.g., AI in radiology, patient communication strategies, or burnout prevention).
- Professional Mentorship Path: Establishing a formal peer-mentoring structure between senior radiography students and incoming first-year students within the program.
- Interprofessional Education (IPE) Initiative: Creating a collaborative case-study review or workflow simulation involving students from other healthcare disciplines (e.g., nursing, respiratory therapy, or physical therapy) to improve cross-departmental understanding.
- ARRT Certification Prep Track: Designing and executing a structured, collaborative study group and resource database for the ARRT registry exam to benefit the cohort.