Featured photo: Graduating student Joseph Hall poses in the Patton Building. (Photo by Emily Gill, Marketing and Communications Dept.)
Emily Gill
Marketing and Communications Dept.
Joseph Hall is preparing to graduate from Blue Ridge Community College – for the third time.
Blue Ridge hosted Hall’s entire experience in higher education which started in 2010, shortly after he completed active duty military service.
In his first round at Blue Ridge, Hall earned an ‘Associate in Arts – Transfer Degree’ with the intention of transferring to a four-year university.
As he considered his options and interests, he pivoted back to Blue Ridge in 2013 to complete the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) program. He then graduated in May 2015 with an Associate in Emergency Medical Service and has been employed at a local EMS agency since his graduation in 2015.
In 2020, Hall decided to build on his successful EMS career and go into nursing. He began the Associate Degree Nursing program in August 2021 and is preparing to graduate in May.
Hall said the decision to return to Blue Ridge was easy, as he already had good connections from his previous studies here.
“[Blue Ridge] is a great stepping stone, a great pathway to bigger and better things,” Hall said. “There are just tons of opportunities.”
A major aspect of those opportunities is working within the community before graduation.
“For my EMS degree – and now it’s the same with nursing – I knew where I wanted to work. When I was able to elect where I wanted to do clinicals, I chose a specific location,” Hall said. “I had done so many clinicals there already that I had an interview and job offer pending my state test before I even graduated.”
After graduating and passing his NCLEX, Hall will begin working as a nurse in July.
Learn more about the Nursing program at blueridge.edu/healthcare.