BCC grad cites ‘quality of program’ in winning national prize for essay on community college bachelor’s degrees

BELLEVUE, WASH. – Michael Bailey, a 2005 Bellevue Community College radiation therapy graduate who also will be part of the college’s first class of bachelor’s degree students in radiation and imaging sciences, has won the national essay contest of the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA).

The association is flying Bailey to New Orleans this week for their national conference March 2-4, where Bailey will receive the $1,000 contest prize.

The contest essay topic was, “Why is it important for me to earn my baccalaureate degree on my community college campus?”

“BCC radiation therapy graduates (two-year degrees) continually rank high in American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) reports,” Bailey wrote. “This is quite noteworthy as this national certification report includes not just associate programs nationwide, but baccalaureate and hospital based programs as well. Because BCC already ranks so high, I prefer to stay at BCC to complete my education as most cancer centers already acknowledge the quality of the program and its reputation for graduating qualified radiation therapists.”

“I plan to be in the first group of [BCC baccalaureate] graduates,” Bailey added, “to show the legislators and the people of Washington that BCC, a community college, is on the forefront of providing the region with highly-trained individuals in the field of health care.”

A resident of Normandy Park, Bailey works as a radiation therapist at Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle.

BCC’s new Bachelor of Applied Science in Radiation and Imaging Sciences is one of only four community college baccalaureate degrees that have been approved in Washington state. The pilot programs are all targeted on high-demand fields to meet the most crucial needs of Washington’s employers.

BCC’s program, developed with extensive input from the health-care industry, addresses the acute need for more people with advanced radiation and imaging skills and the ability to manage imaging and radiation departments at hospitals and clinics.

The college already offers highly respected associate degree and certificate programs in the four specialties covered by the baccalaureate program: radiologic technology, diagnostic ultrasound, radiation therapy and nuclear medicine.

To better serve students in other areas of the state, classes in the program will be offered using a “distance” format – conducted via the Internet or interactive television – as well as in face-to-face classroom sessions on the BCC campus.

Applications for the program are being accepted through March 15, 2007, with classes beginning in September 2007.

Those interested in applying for the program may do so online at www.bcc.ctc.edu/bas/.

The Community College Baccalaureate Association, an Affiliate Council of the American Association of Community Colleges, promotes better access to the baccalaureate degree on community college campuses and serves as a resource for information on various baccalaureate program models.

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