Roger’s nine: Radiography instructor leaves legacy of faculty members at HCC Coleman College
Apr 24, 2023
Caption: On April 17, nine HCC Coleman College faculty members gathered to take a photo with Roger Bumgardner, their former instructor and beloved colleague. Front/bottom row (left to right): Vikki Davis-Littleton, program director of nuclear medicine technology; Elizabeth Ho, program director of sonography; Roger Bumgardner, radiography and CT instructor; Maria Lobrin, radiography instructor. Middle row: Catherine Schaet, nuclear medicine technology instructor; Denisse Salazar, radiography instructor; and Nam Nguyen, radiography instructor. Back/top row: Shawna Francis, radiography instructor; Christopher Daza, program director of radiography; and Paul Pham, radiography instructor.
Roger Bumgardner, MPH, RT, has been a full-time faculty member at HCC Coleman College for nearly 27 years. In that time, he has inspired several radiography and CT graduates to return to their alma mater to teach the next generation of students.
“Roger has probably trained most of radiographers and CT technologists in the Texas Medical Center,” said Christopher Daza, MEd, RT, program director of radiography and CT at HCC Coleman College. “He’s well respected by students, faculty, and colleagues because he cares about all his students. He really cares about their present and future success. Many of us have returned as full time or adjunct instructors to teach and change lives, the same way Roger did.”
Daza himself became an educator — and eventually his teacher’s supervisor —due to Bumgardner’s mentorship.
“Before I graduated from the program, Roger encouraged me to pursue my bachelor’s degree so I could have the choice to teach one day,” Daza said. “When I came back to HCC to do that, I never thought I would take over his position of program director one day.”
When Bumgardner arrived in Houston in 1986, he had no intention of working for a college. However, he was encouraged to accept a position as a radiography instructor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston). That job would eventually lead him to teach radiography and CT at HCC Coleman College in 1996.
“I really love my field. I always liked helping people, and I always like photography, so radiography was a great fit for me,” Bumgardner said. “But the best part of my job is all the students I get to meet. I meet so students from all different backgrounds, and I really respect and regard every single one of them. As a teacher, I think it’s important to see a student as a whole person and help them realize the potential they don’t always see in themselves.”
Though graduates from the radiography and CT program can enjoy good job security, Bumgardner still encourages them to continue their education so they open themselves to more opportunities.
“I’m one of seven kids from a very rural community in Louisiana,” Bumgardner said. “I tell my students, ‘The only thing more expensive than an education is not having an education.’”
Bumgardner intends to become a part-time instructor at HCC Coleman College beginning in Spring 2024. He intends to use his spare time to volunteer for San Jose Clinic and Meals on Wheels as well as take more trips overseas. He may even volunteer with the Peace Corps once again.
Originally from Ashland, La., Bumgardner holds a bachelor’s degree in radiologic science from Northwest State University in Natchitoches, La., and a master’s degree in public health from UTHealth Houston.