Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Lueck is CVTC's first radiography student named to national leadership program
Samantha Lueck, 31, of Eau Claire, is the first radiography student from Chippewa Valley Technical College to be accepted to the American Society of Radiologic Technologist Student Leadership Development Program. Lueck will begin her three-year term with a June kick-off in Florida.
Samantha Lueck admits she was never a star pupil. No matter how hard she studied, she “just squeaked by.”
Now, as a radiography student at Chippewa Valley Technical College, she has nearly a 4.0 gpa.
“Learning doesn’t come easy, but I’m really good at this,” she said with a laugh. “I wish that was something that they made you aware of in high school – don’t stop searching until you find something that you’re good at. It just makes it more fun.
“I love learning about the body and the bones and how everything works together.”
Lueck, 31, of Eau Claire, is so passionate about radiography that she stepped outside of her comfort zone and applied to be a part of a national radiography student leadership program.
In February, Lueck was one of 80 radiologic science students from throughout the country named to the 2022 American Society of Radiologic Technologist (ASRT) Student Leadership Development Program. Students selected for the initiative receive an insider's look into the world's largest association for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals, said Lueck’s instructor, Deb Kjelstad.
Being accepted to the three-year program is not an easy feat. Kjelstad, who has been in the radiography profession for 42 years and Wisconsin Annual Student Symposium Coordinator for the last 12 years, said she has had students apply previously, but no one from CVTC has been selected before Lueck.
“When you look at a student, you just know,” Kjelstad said. “I always encourage students in my classes to apply.”
Lueck remembers that day. Being a first-semester student, Lueck hadn’t heard of the leadership development program until Kjelstad mentioned it. Lueck let the idea roll around in her mind for a while, but two weeks before the deadline, Kjelstad made one more push for her students to apply.
“She is so enthusiastic,” Kjelstad said. “She’s very motivated to excel in this profession. You can see that. I sensed that within the first couple of months.”
Lueck said the experience has been exciting and surreal so far. She never participated in extracurricular activities in high school, so this is a bit out of her comfort zone, she said. But she knows she’ll learn a lot and be able to network in the program throughout the next three years.
“I decided I was going to say yes to every opportunity,” Lueck said. “I’m only going to be a student for two years. Why not? It’s worth it.”
