Photo credit: Rich Keen
Cutline: Paramedic students from both 2020 and 2021 graduating classes pose for a photo with the Blue Ridge EMS faculty.
From left are: Virginia Plyler, clinical coordinator; Daniel Wesley, lead instructor; Heath Abee; Christian Miller; Rachel Wasch; Daniel Houck; Carli Batson; Jared Schoenfeld, Interim EMS chair; Hali Chapman; and Sydney Interlicchia.
Blue Ridge Community College’s Emergency Medical Services department hosted a pinning ceremony not only for the Fall 2021 graduates of its Paramedic program, but also the 2020 graduates on Monday, Dec. 13 in the College’s Thomas Auditorium.
The 2020 graduates were honored in addition to the 2021 graduates because the COVID-19 pandemic prevented an in-person graduation in December 2020, and this ceremony was a way for the graduates to walk across the stage and celebrate their achievements as well.
The list of graduates included:
Paramedic Graduates 2020
Heath Abee
Sydney Interlicchia
Rachel Wasch
Paramedic Graduates 2021
Carli Batson
Hali Chapman
Daniel Houck
Christian Miller
The ceremony included a keynote by Michael Crater, Polk County EMS Director, presentation of student awards, remarks by various EMS faculty and recitation of the EMT oath.
Darrin Cronan with Polk County EMS won the Preceptor of the Year Award, which was presented by EMS Clinical Coordinator Virginia Plyler. Cronan has logged nearly 35 years of EMS service.
Following closing remarks by Dean of Public Safety Training Philip Hosmer, the event was concluded by the Henderson County Law Enforcement Honor Guard’s Retrieval of Colors.
For more info about Blue Ridge’s EMS program, visit blueridge.edu.