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By Kate Hunger 

Second-year Respiratory Care master’s student Calandra Snowden received a scholarship to attend the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) International Respiratory Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas in December. 

Snowden was one of 22 student delegates selected from around the country and world to attend the AARC House of Delegates and Board of Directors meetings, noted  Richard Wettstein, MMEd, RRT, FAARC, associate professor and program director for the Division of Respiratory Care. The goal of the scholarship program is to develop the next generation of leaders in the profession, he said.

“We have close to 500 programs across the country that are accredited and they selected 22 student delegates from across the country to attend these meetings. It’s a real honor,” Wettstein said.

Respiratory Care faculty and graduates also presented at the convention. 

Attending the meetings helped Snowden see how grassroots efforts are needed to combat apathy and improve the profession. She said attending the AARC HOD and BOD meetings was an honor that she tried to get the most out of.

“I was excited and honored and tried to wrap my mind around what I could take back and give back from the meetings", she said. 

Snowden said she is interested in working in a long-term acute care setting after graduation, in part because of the opportunity it offers to learn from families and patients and to help educate them, as well.