Alondra Santos de la Cruz

It’s not unusual for college students to take the time to figure out what they are looking to pursue in their careers. However, that decision came a lot quicker for one Quinnipiac University student.

Alondra Santos de la Cruz, a junior diagnostic medical sonography major, became a Bobcat while already having her mind set on taking up a career in radiology. However, upon being introduced to the medical field line of work through her family, it wasn’t until her high school teacher suggested she dabble in radiology that Santos de la Cruz unfolded her true passion.

“There is a lot more to ultrasound than what usually people think, which is pregnant women,” Santos de la Cruz said. “There’s a lot of vascular studies, musculoskeletal studies that you can get done, or surgeries that are ultrasound-guided.”

Originally born in the Dominican Republic, Santos de la Cruz made her way to the United States in 2012 by settling with her family in the Bronx, New York. After attending school in New York City for six years, she made her way to Connecticut.

When the decision came down to extend her education into college, Santos de la Cruz’s interest peaked in the courses and programs offered at Quinnipiac. She instantly knew this was what she was looking to do.

“It’s just really cool to be able to be a part of a diagnosis process and just be able to help people in that way,” she said with a smile, grinning ear-to-ear.

Despite having a solidified mindset on her studies, Santos de la Cruz’s ultimate goals after getting certified are unlike many other students studying in the field – to open up her own practice that is accessible to all individuals seeking care.

“Testing is so important and imaging is so important, but a lot of people can’t afford it,” Santos de la Cruz said.

Given her experience in the medical field thus far, Santos de la Cruz reflected on times when patients expressed anxiety over paying for necessary tests and screenings. This experience is one of the driving factors for her ultimate dream.

“There’s a lot of women who are pregnant, don’t have insurance and can’t get an ultrasound,” she said. “Not only women, but people who can carry a child that don’t have certain health care (plans) that need ultrasounds.”

In addition to her academic studies, Santos de la Cruz holds various positions, including as a resident assistant, president of the Juvenile Urban Multicultural Program, community co-chair for the Latino Cultural Society and a mentor for the Quest Mentoring Program. In her downtime, you could commonly find her hanging around campus with her friends or setting forth to make another Lego flower to add to her desk collection.

Being a part of various communities on campus is something she holds near and dear to her heart, noting that the experiences have not only benefited the college campus, but herself included.

“You’re doing meaningful work by providing spaces for students who need it, but also giving yourself that space,” Santos de la Cruz said.

On top of building connections with others and developing a love for the communities she’s placed herself within, she expressed how all of her different roles intertwine and complement one another.

“It’s great holding the president position for Jump Nation because it’s so big on the community in terms of our youth and education,” Santos de la Cruz said. “I get to tie that into my role for LCS because you’re working with underrepresented students; alot of those students are the ones who experience that underrepresentation, especially when it comes to secondary education.”

Through the several leadership positions and campus involvement that Santos de la Cruz finds herself doing, she said that the one driving factor is her determination.

“You can do whatever you want with your life,” Santos de la Cruz said. “The only thing stopping you from doing that is you.”

While she wraps up her junior year, she looks toward finishing her undergraduate career with a footprint on the next generation of Bobcats.

“I just want students to know that you can do it if you want to,” she said.