Holmes Ridgeland Campus EMS students honored

Holmes Ridgeland Campus EMS students honored Pictured are the 2019 Ridgeland Campus EMS graduates following their ceremony on Aug. 1. They are (seated, left to right) John Joseph Kubala of Florence, William Walker Johns of Ridgeland, Gary Huhn of Saltillo, Cassaundra Dipaola of Madison, Tia R. Davis of Sontag, Rodney Joel Burch of Brandon, William C. Ainsworth of Madison, (standing, left to right) EMS instructor Yancy Brewer, Connor Holt Wilson of Madison, Peyton Avery Walchak of Madison, Terry Michael Wages of Terry, Andrew Dearing Villar of Benton, John Edward Throne of Braxton, Cody B. Moss of Ridgeland, Frank W. Mitchell of Florence, Michael Brayden McKay of Brandon, EMS Medical Director Dr. Steve Chouteau, EMS instructor Sandra Hultz and EMS Program Director Mark Galtelli.

The Ridgeland Campus of Holmes Community College held a ceremony to celebrate the graduating Emergency Medical Sciences Class on Aug. 1 in the McGowan Workforce Training Building. Sixteen students graduated from the program.

Graduates included: William C. Ainsworth of Madison, Rodney Joel Burch of Brandon, Tia R. Davis of Sontag, Cassaundra Dipaola of Madison, Gary Huhn of Saltillo, William Walker Johns of Ridgeland, George A. Kitchens of Flowood, John Joseph Kubala of Florence, Michael Brayden McKay of Brandon, Frank W. Mitchell of Florence, Cody B. Moss of Ridgeland, John Edward Throne of Braxton, Andrew Dearing Villar of Benton, Terry Michael Wages of Terry, Peyton Avery Walchak of Madison and Connor Holt Wilson of Madison.

The ceremony began with EMS Program Director Mark Galtelli introducing the EMS faculty and addressing the graduates.

“It takes an enormous amount of effort to go through this program,” Galtelli said. “You guys have been successful. You guys have persevered, you guys have been through the trenches and you all have gone through what is essentially a full-time academic load while most of you are also holding full-time jobs. On top of that, you work the equivalent of another full-time job during clinicals. Your family members are not going to know what to do with you when you’re not gone multiple days a week.

“Paramedic school is a life-changing event,” Galtelli said. “I did it a long time ago and I still remember how exhausting it was, but I still remember every day how rewarding it is. What I ask of you, and what I ask of every class, is that when you go out, represent yourself well. Represent the college well, represent this program well. Look for the extra deep inside of you to make a difference. I want you to make a difference in somebody’s life. Success is not about how much money you make in your career or what title you occupy. At the end of the day, the success that you have is going to be written on the lives that you touch and how much impact you have on your patients. Every one of you have a tremendous opportunity to be very impactful in this career.”

Following the address, EMS instructor Yancy Brewer called the graduates to the front one-by-one where Galtelli and Dr. Steve Chouteau presented certificates. A reception was held in the lobby following the ceremony.

For more information about the EMS program on the Ridgeland Campus, contact Galtelli at (601) 605-3331 or mgaltelli@holmescc.edu.

                                            ###