Belmont College and WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital partner in support of the radiology program at the college, where students attend labs. T-L Photo/JOSIE BURKHART

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Belmont College and WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital announced a new partnership and a new interim director for the radiology program at the college.

The college and hospital are teaming up to provide a new director for the radiology program as current Director Dr. Stephanie Stauver leaves the post.

Jennifer Bond, radiology director at Wheeling Hospital, will serve as the interim director of the program. She is a graduate of Wheeling Hospital’s radiology program. Bond received her bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and development from then-Wheeling Jesuit University. She also earned the Certified Radiology Administrator credential from the Radiology Administration Certification Commission.

Bond has a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Florida Atlantic University.

“Jennifer has the experience and expertise we need to continue to build and expand our radiologic technology programs,” Belmont College Vice President Of Government Affairs Carrie White said. “With her strong background in the healthcare field, I’m confident she will make valuable contributions to the success and growth of the radiology programming at Belmont.”

Belmont College offers a two-year radiology program, accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. This program has been maintained at Belmont College since 2019, as it is the former Ohio Valley Medical Center Program of Radiologic Technology.

The program’s mission is to provide learning experiences that will enable each student to deliver quality health care, to understand the values and behavior of the profession, and to develop communication and independent reasoning in preparation for employment as entry level radiographers. Upon completion of all program requirements, the student will receive an associate of applied science degree in radiologic technology.

The college also maintains a computed tomography (CT) program that is based on the curriculum recommended by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists and the structured education and clinical standards required by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. This program can be completed in just one semester. To enroll, students must be a graduate of a JRCERT-recognized radiography program.

Bringing Bond on to serve as the interim director of the program will bring stability to the college as it goes through a search process for the next director of the program, Wheeling Hospital Chief Operating Officer Dave Phillips said. He added that the hospital wants to make sure the students are provided the instruction they need.

Bond decided to take on the role of interim director of radiology because she wanted to help the college and students.

“I approached Mr. Phillips, and he’s my COO. So I’m like, ‘Mr. Phillips, we have got to do something here,'” Bond said. “We have a program that’s producing 30 new RAD techs every year, and with the departure of their current director, we needed to step in and do something to support our profession.”

She emphasized that across the nation, healthcare providers and workers are extremely short staffed. She said partnering with the college is a supportive measure to make sure students graduate as they normally would.

Bond will make sure the students are meeting requirements, are prepared through testing, clinical competencies and clinical time at their clinical sites to ensure they have everything required to take their national registry exam next year.

Bond said WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital has a lot of resources it can provide to Belmont College.

White said partnering with the hospital is going to open up a lot of opportunities with clinical sites, more contact with personnel and more alignment with what is needed in the industry and profession for students.

“Everything that we have in place is going to stay as is for now. So classes are still on the schedule. Instructors are still lined up to teach them,” White said. “So we don’t see that we’ll have any kind of delay now. We may have to take a little bit of time, just for realigning and working with WVU and integrating them into the system, but everything is on track to stay as is.”

Belmont College President Paul Gasparro said it is really important to have these types of relationships with the hospital.

“We’re really excited for this partnership and opportunities,” White said. “Everything we do here is for our students, and we think that this will really give them a lot more potential for career placement.”

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