Calhoun Invests in North Alabama’s Healthcare Future with New Radiologic Technology Program

DECATUR, AL — Calhoun Community College is launching a brand-new Radiologic Technology Program, set to welcome its first cohort of students in Fall 2027. The announcement marks one of the most significant expansions in the college's Health Sciences Division and directly responds to the surging demand for diagnostic imaging professionals across Huntsville, Decatur, Madison County, and the greater Tennessee Valley region.

Huntsville is no longer just the Rocket City. It is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the Southeast, and with that growth comes a healthcare infrastructure that is expanding at a pace that demands a steady, skilled workforce to match. Hospitals are growing. Imaging centers are opening. And the need for credentialed radiologic technologists, the professionals behind the diagnostic scans that help physicians identify illness, injury, and disease, has never been more urgent. Calhoun intends to meet that need head-on by creating a local training pathway that keeps talent in the region where it is needed most.

Leading the effort is Michelle Falcon, a radiologic technology educator and clinical professional with more than 25 years of experience in the field. Falcon joined Calhoun in August 2025 and is building the program from the ground up, overseeing every dimension of its development including curriculum design, faculty recruitment, facility planning, clinical partnership development, and the pursuit of programmatic accreditation.

Before coming to Calhoun, Falcon spent more than two decades as Clinical Coordinator for Huntsville Hospital's School of Radiologic Technology, one of the region's most respected clinical training environments. In that role, she oversaw curriculum development, student learning outcomes, and compliance with national accreditation standards. She did not just teach in a radiologic technology program. She helped run one, and she knows exactly what it takes to build something that lasts.

"This is an exciting time for Calhoun, and I am grateful to be part of it," Falcon said. "Radiologic technologists play a vital role in healthcare, and I value the opportunity to help build a program that will prepare the next generation of imaging professionals while responding to a growing need within our healthcare community."

Falcon's experience extends across the field's most important professional and credentialing bodies. Her work alongside the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) gives her the precise expertise needed to develop a program that meets both rigorous educational standards and real industry expectations. She is not learning this process. She has lived it.

The program will be housed on Calhoun's Decatur campus, where planned renovations will create advanced simulation laboratories equipped with modern digital radiography technology designed to mirror real-world clinical environments. Students will train in those spaces and build foundational competency before ever stepping into a clinical placement with one of Calhoun's regional healthcare partners. The goal is simple: students who graduate from this program should be ready to work from day one.

Calhoun is currently pursuing approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and programmatic accreditation through JRCERT ahead of the Fall 2027 launch. Pursuing accreditation before the program opens reflects a clear institutional commitment: the college is not simply adding a program. It is building something the region can depend on for decades to come.

Radiologic technologists are not a behind-the-scenes part of the healthcare system. They are essential to it. Every MRI, CT scan, and X-ray that informs a physician's diagnosis runs through their hands. As Huntsville and the surrounding communities continue to grow, the ability to train and retain those professionals locally becomes a regional economic and public health priority. Calhoun is stepping up to fill that gap.

Registration details, an open house for prospective students, and ongoing updates on accreditation milestones, facility renovations, and clinical partnership announcements will be shared in the coming months. Those interested in learning more about the program or exploring how to get involved are encouraged to stay connected with Calhoun's Health Sciences Division.

All media inquiries should contact Calhoun’s Public Relations Team at 256-306-2560 or 256-306-2965.