EPCHS Alum In The Spotlight: Isabelle Haun, Class Of 2019

This article was written and submitted by Cesar Ortiz, an EPCHS social media marketing student intern

EVERGREEN PARK, IL - An ultrasound clinical coordinator at an accredited NCAA Division I institution credits her time and participation in the EPCHS Music Department for where she is today.

Isabelle Haun, Class of 2019, is an Ultrasound Technologist Clinical Coordinator for the Arkansas State University ultrasound program, located in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

When looking for activities to participate throughout EPCHS, Haun found her calling in the music department, specifically the color guard.

“I was heavily involved in the music department. Color guard was one of those places where I could stand out,” she said. “Color guard with Amy Kazin was where I found friends. It was a place where we could goof off and learn a new skill and be just a little bit different. That was a place where I could excel and meet people of all backgrounds.”

Classes for Haun, however, were a different dynamic. She describes herself as “not the most ambitious student in high school,” but credits her friends and peers for pushing her to her best. She always forced herself to enroll in honors or AP classes because she didn’t want to graduate wishing that she had challenged herself more. This mindset ended up paying off, as the classes she took at EP helped her much later in her college career.

“I had to take a physical science class in college that had 3 whole units of mechanical physics equations,” Haun said.

“I ended up helping my best friend get through that class,” she added, “My AP Physics class came full circle because I told myself, ‘I remember Mr. Brahm telling me something like that.’ It was crazy how much stuff finally clicked after revisiting it 3 years later.”

During her senior year, Haun earned a scholarship to Arkansas State University to march with the school’s color guard, which is where she committed to for her Bachelor’s Degree in radiologic sciences, as well as a certificate in healthcare administration.

“There were always unique traditions in the music department that I dare not expose because they are sacred traditions, but those unique traditions are things that kept me coming back to the music department because it felt like ‘family traditions.’”

While at Arkansas State University, she started her career taking x-rays and later moved to doing ultrasounds, and after graduation, she had to take multiple registries to qualify to work with patients.

Eventually, her work led her right back to her alma mater. Starting next year, she will begin teaching ultrasound physics to next year’s class of future ultrasound technicians, and go to graduate school to earn her master’s degree in higher education to teach her profession further.

“I always had an interest in the reproductive system in anatomy class,” she said, noting the many career paths she thought about pursuing prior to radiology, such as an obstetrician, which is a physician who cares for mothers during pregnancy and childbirth, or a gynecologist, a physician who specializes in female reproductive health.

“Instead, I decided that I would like to be the one to scan the babies, livers, and neonatal brains.”

Haun’s favorite memories at EPCHS were in Mr. Enstrom’s AP U.S. History class, where a student would be chosen as the “soccer mom.” Every day, a student would bring in a snack for the entire class to share. Mr. Enstrom even had a schedule for the students to share their favorite snack foods with the class.

”I think one time someone catered a taco bar,” Haun said. “It was a bonding experience with my peers and I will never forget that.”

Haun's advice for EPCHS students looking into radiology, or becoming an ultrasound technician: “Don't overlook it. Radiology techs are some of the unsung heroes in healthcare. Everyone always thinks of nurses and doctors, but think of how many people get a CT scan, MRI, x-ray, or ultrasound!”

“Most importantly,” she adds, “my general advice for anyone going to college would be to make connections and find that one person that will push you to do your best. I found my best friend in college and we had such a healthy competition that we pushed each other to be the best we could be in and out of the classroom; find your person… find your support!”