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Cardiopulmonary Science B.S.
Respiratory Care A.S.
Emergency Medical Technician Diploma
Associate in Arts

Laura Lekovish

When Laura Lekovish lost her boyfriend to pancreatic cancer 10 years ago, she wished she’d known more about what was happening to him and how to help.

Since then, the mother of two has earned an Associate in Science Degree in Respiratory Care, Emergency Medical Technician Diploma and Associate in Arts from SPC.

“I really want to help families understand what’s going on with their loved ones,” said Lekovish, a cardiac respiratory therapist who works at Tampa General Hospital. “It’s so important.”

Lekovish will soon graduate from SPC with her Bachelor of Science Degree in Cardiopulmonary Science, one of the newest bachelor’s degrees launched by the College that aims to help students get better jobs and therefore better lives. Lekovish is grateful the additional coursework is already making a difference in her career.

“Now I‘m able to fill in the gaps and understand much more about how the anatomical systems work together,” Lekovish said. “My training really helped me understand my specialty on the cardiac unit.”

In the past, Lekovish worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant in hospice care and an EMT, which were physically taxing. While each job had their rewards, Lekovish wanted to make a more direct impact on people’s enjoyment in life.

“I’m so happy I chose respiratory care and SPC,” she said. “I‘ve absolutely loved every class I’ve taken at SPC. With
my bachelor’s degree I can level up and get paid more, and have more opportunities. Everything I do is for my kids. They are the reason I keep going. I love being able to spoil them.”