Chris Proano

Radiologic Technology

Chris Proano is on a path to a brighter future and a stable career, and he has Delaware Tech and the SEED Scholarship Program to thank for putting him on that path.

"I knew I wanted to go to college right out of high school," Proano said. "But the SEED scholarship gave me a little security to go to college. I knew I had it and that I could get most of my tuition paid for and just needed to worry about paying for books and fees."

Proano decided fairly early on that he would pursue a career in healthcare. He started working at Beebe Hospital in housekeeping, then transitioned to patient transport. As he helped get patients around the hospital and was exposed to areas such at the emergency room and diagnostic imaging, he became interested in pursuing a degree in radiology.

"I really enjoyed helping other people," Proano said. "It was nice getting them to where they needed to go and making sure they were okay."

During his time at Delaware Tech, Proano continued working full time. He said managing work and schoolwork got tricky at times, but he made it work. He had to change his schedule again once he started going to different medical facilities on clinical rotations, but the experience he gained was immeasurable.

"It was pretty amazing to see how other hospitals manage their studies and exams and the different protocols they follow," Proano said. "It gave me an idea of how all of those facilities compared to where I am working now."

Not only has he learned to manage college life and work life, Proano said his time at the College has expanded his knowledge of his job at the hospital and the overall healthcare environment.

After graduation, Proano hopes to begin working immediately as an X-ray technician, before cross-training in CT scan. He hopes to one day become a CT technician or the manager of a radiology department.