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The ����ֱ�� State University at Ashtabula Respiratory Therapy program is among elite company as it was recently awarded the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialing Success Award by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) for the third straight year. ����ֱ�� State Ashtabula's two-year associate degree program is just one of 82 associate or bachelor's degree programs nationally to have earned the recognition at least three times.

“I am so pleased that our program has achieved this award for a third consecutive year,” said Respiratory Therapy Program Director Yvonne George, D.Min., M.Ed., RRT. “The RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist) credential is required to gain licensure in the state of Ohio, but it is not required nationally. This award is a statement of our commitment to program excellence.”

The CoARC Distinguished Credentialing Success Award focuses on program effectiveness in inspiring its graduates toward educational and professional achievement.  

The award is presented to programs that have for the previous three years held accreditation without a progress report, have RRT credentialing success of 90% or above and meet or exceed established CoARC thresholds for CRT credentialing success, retention and on-time graduation rate. 

“I applaud our program faculty, Megan Alicea, and staff, Amy Rodenhausen for their continued efforts to support student success; this could not have been achieved without their expertise in respiratory therapy and their ability to connect with our students,” George added. “I also have to applaud our graduates! The RRT credentialing exam is a tough, two-part exam, and our graduates have studied hard to prepare and pass it.”

����ֱ�� State Ashtabula graduates have also excelled at professional placement, with each member of the recent graduating classes landing an RRT position prior to graduation. Those positions are in great demand for the foreseeable future, with 21% expected job growth between now and 2028. Median pay for RRTs is $61,300, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

 For more information about the program, contact Yvonne George at ygeorge@kent.edu or visit www.kent.edu/ashtabula/rt. To apply to ����ֱ�� State Ashtabula, visit www.kent.edu/ashtabula/apply-now.

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