NAEMT congratulates our most recent recipients of the Degree Completion scholarship through The College Network: Steve McElmurry, Barron, Wis.; Aaron Moreau, Markleysburg, Penn.; and Karen Novelli, Valley Cottage, N.Y.

McElmurray, a paramedic with Cumberland Memorial Hospital in Cumberland, Wis., says he originally started an EMT-Basic class as a simple 'lark' while he finished a business degree. “I would not have believed I would have liked it so much,” he says. “It was not at all 'simple' and I loved the problem-solving and the investigation involved to track down a differential diagnosis. I enjoyed the patient interaction as well.” Moreau said that while working as an EMT-B, he wanted to dig deeper and became interested in becoming a paramedic. “Watching paramedics work, I wanted to do more for my patients on-scene and en route to the hospital.” He finished the 44-credit paramedic program in one year with straight As, while working full time and exceeding the minimum required clinical hours, ambulance runs and intubations. He is now working to continue his education to earn a MSN in nursing or as a physician assistant.

Moreau, a paramedic, grant writer and training officer with Marclay Community Ambulance Service, Inc., says he takes his job as a paramedic and EMS instructor seriously. “As an EMS instructor specializing in the importance of education, I feel that I, too, should continue my education. I must practice what I preach and complete my degree to keep ahead of the educational curve. A person can never go wrong with an education.” He has chosen to become a RN. As an instructor, he currently is completing extensive accreditation through CoAEMSP. He says this accreditation is vital for Penn State, where he teaches, to continue to instruct paramedics. “With the help of this scholarship, Penn State will be able to better equip their training center with another qualified instructor to teach students the most advanced and current EMS standards,” he says. He also notes that his ambulance service provides coverage to about 5,000 permanent residents, but the population swells to tens of thousands during prime tourist season, and critical care incidents require a PH-RN on staff. “By completing my degree,” he says, “I will be adding the missing component that is required for Marclay EMS to become part of a Critical Care Transport Team – so we will be offering our community a higher level of Advanced Life Support.”

“I love to learn,” says Novelli, an EMT-B with Empress EMS in Yonkers, N.Y. “I felt so frustrated not being able to continue on, be able to further shine, and show what I am fully capable of doing,” she says of not being able to continue her education while raising two young sons as a single mother and helping with a loved one with cancer. For the past 25 years, she has been involved in EMS, serving as a hospital volunteer, first responder, EMT and American Red Cross instructor. After working as a public school teacher and tutor, she found that she missed the EMS field and became recertified as an EMT. She says that she currently works most of her shifts with paramedics and learns something new every day. “I have always had the desire, but not the means, to continue my education in the EMS field of service. Thank you for this opportunity to further myself and be all that I can be.”

Learn more about scholarships offered by NAEMT here.