Student Liaison to the MSRC Board of Directors

 The Missouri Society for Respiratory Care recognizes the importance of our student members.  Respiratory Care Students represent the future of our profession and are vital to our goals as a society.  In order to better represent our student constituency, the MSRC will appoint two Student Liaisons to the Board of Directors.

What does a Student Liaison do?

The Student Liaison to the MRSC Board of Directors is a non-voting member of the board.  They will attend six board meetings and participate in discussions that affect all Missouri Respiratory Care Practitioners.  Student Liaisons assist in the planning and development of the student presentations at the MSRC Annual Conference each year.  They also attend the American Association for Respiratory Care House of Delegates meeting.  This is a rare opportunity to see how the AARC functions!

As a Student Liaison, your opinions reflect the future of our society and will help shape our goals for the coming years.

What is the term of appointment?

The Student Liaison is a 15-month appointment (February 2025- May 2026).  The student(s) are appointed in January of each year and attend their first Board of Directors Meeting in February. 

When are the Board of Directors Meetings held?

February 2025, TBA
April 22nd, 2025 (meeting held in conjunction with the MSRC Annual Meeting in Osage Beach, Missouri)
August 2025, TBA
November 2025, TBA
February 2026, TBA - During this meeting of the student appointment, the liaisons will meet the newly appointed student liaisons (for the next term) and participate in a celebration!
April 21st, 2026 (meeting held in conjunction with the MSRC Annual Meeting in Osage Beach, Missouri)

What are the benefits of being the Student Liaison to the MSRC Board of Directors?

The Student Liaison will be directly involved in discussions that directly affect Respiratory Care Practitioners in the state of Missouri.
Student Liaisons receive FREE REGISTRATION to both state meetings held during their appointment (MSRC annual meeting in Osage Beach). In addition, the MSRC will reimburse the Liaisons for their hotel stay the night of the board meeting (one night per state meeting).  Liaisons must stay in the conference hotel in the MSRC room block in order to receive the MSRC room rate and reimbursement.
Student Liaisons are invited to attend the AARC House of Delegates meeting at the AARC International Congress at the MSRC expense.  The 2025 House of Delegates meeting will be held in Phoenix, AZ on December 4-5th.

The 2025 congress will be held December 6-9th in Phoenix, AZ. 

This is an excellent opportunity to network with other professionals and develop your career plan.
This is a wonderful addition to any student resume when applying for jobs post-graduation.

What are the requirements for applying to this program?

The candidate must be a current student, in good standing, at an accredited Respiratory Care Program in the state of Missouri
The candidate must be a student member of the AARC
The candidate must submit a letter from their program director attesting to their good standing in the Respiratory Care program.  This letter must also include a statement from the director allowing the student to miss coursework/classes in order to attend five board meetings during the year.
The candidate must complete an application (available on the following page) and send to the Education Committee Chair via e-mail by January 20th, 2025.

Who is on the selection committee?

The Student Liaison will be appointed by the MSRC Executive Committee (President, Past President, President elect, Vice President, Vice President Elect, Treasurer, Secretary and Delegates). 

Applicant information (including school information) will be de-identified during the selection process.
In the event that a member of the executive committee is a faculty member at a school one of the applicants attends, that member will recuse themselves from voting in order to avoid a conflict of interest.

For further inquiry, please contact the Education Committee Chair (contact information listed below).

All applications should be in Microsoft® Word document format and must be received via e-mail by the MSRC Education committee Chair by January 20th, 2025.

Linda Weems, BA, RRT
MSRC Education Committee Chair
linda.weems2@mercy.net

Interested in what our current Student Liaisons have to say about the program?

Taki Agnew (2024 - 2025 Student Liaison from Forest Park)

Serving as the student liaison for the Missouri Society for Respiratory Care has greatly influenced my path into this profession. When I first applied, I didn't anticipate the impact it would have on both my college and work experiences. Through this role, I've had the chance to build meaningful connections with respiratory professionals, students, and others in related fields. It has allowed me to be a voice for students, offering a unique perspective on the abundant opportunities within the respiratory profession. This position has also given me the opportunity to learn, grow, and work together with others, creating a strong sense of community. As students, we play a vital role in shaping the future of Respiratory Care, and this experience has motivated me to pursue a position as a voting board member after graduation, with a focus on education to help guide future students.

Yvonne Cheng (2016-2017 Student Liaison from the University of Missouri)

Becoming a student liaison has been the most rewarding experience in my college journey. Through the board meetings, I have gained insight into how the Missouri State for Respiratory Care (MSRC) and the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) works. I have also become aware of the social and political issues that affect our profession. During this process, I've had the opportunity to meet and connect with many experienced RTs who are dedicated to advancing our profession. This has inspired me to continue staying involved. As student liaisons, we aim to reach out to students, listen and act as their voice in the MSRC. We encourage students and RTs to join us and get involved in the MSRC. We have also set other goals that we aimed to achieve during our term as liaisons. I am thankful that all of the MSRC board members have been so encouraging and supportive whenever Cali and I put forth new ideas. This whole experience has been humbling and I feel so honored to be part of this wonderful organization. I would definitely encourage students to take up the opportunity to be a student liaison!

Cali Knepp (2016-2017 Student Liaison from the College of Allied Health Careers)

When I applied for the position of Student Liaison with the MSRC a year ago, I never would have guessed it would be one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. I applied for the position of Student Liaison for the opportunity to be a voice for the students in the state of Missouri. I wanted to give them an opportunity to know more about what is going on in our society and share their stories with everyone. The MSRC has allowed Yvonne and me to take this idea and make it happen. As a Student Liaison I have also had the privilege of networking with other professionals throughout the country. At the AARC House of Delegates meeting, I was able to meet so many inspiring professionals who are all passionate about improving our profession as a whole. I cannot say enough about how wonderful this experience has been for me over the past year! To anyone who is considering applying for this position, I would highly recommend it!

Diana Perez (2015-16 Student Liaison & Forest Park Graduate):

Being a member of the MSRC board allows you to understand more about the "background/backstage" of our profession, and it shows you the RT world from a totally different perspective. My decision of applying to be a student liaison was based on my desire of getting involved with our community and learning about all the rules, norms, regulations, and organization of our profession. But while doing that I also had the honor of meeting great people, making good connections, and exposing myself to new and different opportunities which could make a positive difference in my future. Additionally, this November the MSRC is took us to Tampa for the House of Delegates Meeting and the International Conference!!!

As a student liaison you will have to attend to some meetings and conferences, you will learn, you will grow, and you will get involved, but also, I can assure you that YOU WILL HAVE FUN! It's a great opportunity and believe me when I say that you don't want to miss it.  To me, being part of the MSRC is an honor, and I feel like it should be an honor for each one of us (RT) whether you are the president, the secretary, or just a member. You want to get involved and put your name and/or ideas out with the hope of making grown our RT society and protect the future of our jobs.