Building futures that work for sonography graduates like Rebecca Smith | Moore Norman Technology Center
![DMS Graduate posing in front of medical equipment used for sonograms.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1737757168/mntechnologycom/jylibeaxv3edonfjaizh/RebeccaSmith.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1737757168/mntechnologycom/jylibeaxv3edonfjaizh/RebeccaSmith.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1737757168/mntechnologycom/jylibeaxv3edonfjaizh/RebeccaSmith.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1737757168/mntechnologycom/jylibeaxv3edonfjaizh/RebeccaSmith.png","width":1080}])
Rebecca Smith was a single mother struggling to balance college, work and raising her young daughter. After pursuing an associate’s degree at Oklahoma City Community College and spending two years at the University of Oklahoma with hopes of becoming an occupational therapist, Rebecca faced mounting expenses and an overwhelming schedule.
“I was racking up debt and struggling in my classes,” she recalled. “I realized I needed a faster, more practical path to support myself and my daughter,” Rebecca said.
Rebecca’s research led her to Moore Norman Technology Center’s 15-month Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. She says the hand-on training prepared her to be an independent scanner, a critical skill for sonographers.
“It was rigorous, but it prepared me better than many others I’ve met in the field,” she said.
Before completing the program, Rebecca secured a paid student tech position. After graduating in 2017, she landed her first full-time position earning $27 an hour—more than double her previous income as a medical assistant. “It changed everything,” Rebecca said. “I went from barely getting by to buying a house and a car and providing a stable life for my daughter and me.”
The program’s affordability was another game-changer. Having exhausted her financial aid at previous schools, Rebecca appreciated Moore Norman’s reasonable tuition, which she managed without loans. “Many graduates spend years paying off debt, but I could immediately enjoy the benefits of my new career,” she explained.
Now working at INTEGRIS Health, Rebecca credits Moore Norman for her success.
“Moore Norman gave me the opportunity to complete a 15-month sonography program on a reasonable budget and quickly step into the workforce to support myself and my daughter,” she said. “In this economy, that is crucial. I don’t know what I would have done without Moore Norman.”
#
About Moore Norman Technology Center
Established in 1972, Moore Norman Technology Center is viewed as one of the nation's premiere career and technical educational institutions within Oklahoma's globally recognized Career Tech system. Serving the Cleveland County communities of Moore, Norman, and south Oklahoma City, MNTC provides high school and adult students with an innovative technical career education. MNTC also offers customized workforce training to area companies allowing them to shore up their teams and achieve their business goals. Visit mntc.edu to learn more about classes and programs at Moore Norman Technology Center.
