EDITORIAL

Cardiovascular sonographers use sophisticated diagnostic ultrasound equipment to produce dynamic imaging of the heart's chambers, walls, valves, and great vessels to assist physicians in diagnosing cardiovascular disease. Weatherford College is proudly graduating our inaugural class of cardiovascular sonographers this spring. This program is just one of the many high demand programs that Weatherford College has recently added which lead to jobs that pay family sustaining wages.

WC has also recently added associate degree programs in robotics and automation engineering, cybersecurity, audio engineering, and many other fields. On the workforce program side, WC has added certificate programs in drone 4-D mapping, horizontal and vertical petroleum drilling, computer aided drafting design, computer numerical control machining, and many other areas. Collectively, these new academic programs provide students with more educational opportunities than ever before.

However, the big story regarding new academic programs is the launch of our affordable bachelor’s degrees. WC now offers bachelor’s degrees in nursing, organizational leadership, medical and health services management, early childhood education and teaching, and we are currently in the application process for a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems. Each of these high value degrees can be earned for about a third of the price of the most affordable university-based bachelor’s degree programs.

In addition to expanded academic opportunities, WC has doubled the number of athletic program offerings, from five to 10. By adding men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, and volleyball, students may now participate in a wide range of athletic competitions either as team members or as cheering fans.

Not to be outdone, WC fine arts recently added a jazz orchestra, a vibrant international piano competition, and continues to grow and expand existing arts programs. Our visual and performing arts programs are quickly making Weatherford College the cultural hub of our five-county service area and beyond.

Wholistically, the rapid expansion of our academic, athletic, and fine arts programs has led to both expanded opportunities and enriched educational experiences. If our cardiovascular sonographers were able to peer into the heart of Weatherford College, they would see students succeeding in a myriad of ways. Our students always have been, and always will be, the very heartbeat of WC.