ACC Foundation Grant to Support DCVS Students

Any job that requires a repetitive motion with the hands can lead to injury.
Alvin Community College Diagnostic Cardiovascular Director Danielle Kemendo is hoping to prevent those injuries for sonographers with a new training system and ergonomically designed equipment.
“Roughly 80 to 90 percent of sonographers experience at some point, work related injuries like carpal tunnel, tendonitis and neck injuries from the constant movements,” Kemendo said. “If we can teach our students good habits early on it will help protect them and help them have a long career.”
Kemendo received $1,500 from the ACC Foundation Innovative Initiative Grant program to purchase materials and equipment for the preventative training.
The grant was awarded through the Foundation’s Innovative Initiative program. The Innovative Initiative Grant program is designed to encourage, facilitate, recognize and reward innovative and creative approaches to fulfill the mission of the college. The grants will be used for the 2025-26 academic year.
The grant funds will provide ergonomically-designed probe created to prevent injuries in the repetitive movements of being a sonographer.
“That’s how we generate ultrasounds,” Kemendo said. “If you are not holding correctly or have your wrist in a not-neutral position, it can cause injuries.”
Students in the adult echo, pediatric echo and vascular imaging programs will received specialized training during their first two semesters.
“The probes will be assigned to incoming freshman on day one,” Kemendo said. “We will create videos on probe manipulation and good techniques. They can also practice at home with the probes.”
Students will begin training with the probes this Fall.
Job growth in the profession is projected to increase 10 percent over the next four years with an average salary of $88,923 according to Lightcast.
To learn more about the program check out the podcast interview at www.alvincollege.edu/news/podcast.html or wherever you get podcasts.
To learn more about the DCVS program, visit www.alvincollege.edu/dcvs.





An ACC Diagnostic Cardiovascular student practices with a volunteer in this college file photo.