To Celebrate the Surge, Chancellor Matos Rodríguez Attends Summer Paramedic Class at Borough of Manhattan Community College
Gains Driven by Community Colleges
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez yesterday joined Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) students for a class titled “Emergency Medical Care: Paramedic Internship III,” one of more than 1,000 offered across the University during the summer. This year, more than 68,000 students enrolled for in-person, hybrid or online classes for the summer session, a 6% year-over-year increase driven by strong growth among CUNY community colleges – and building on last year’s growth.
“Summer session is a reminder that while seasons change, the ability to access a quality education does not. Having a robust range of classes for students to take year-round is one of the many ways CUNY is keeping higher education accessible,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Our summer session allows students to take the classes they need, when they need to, to stay on track or make progress towards their degrees — and it’s encouraging to see more students taking advantage of the opportunities available to them.”
“We are deeply honored to have Chancellor Matos Rodríguez visit our paramedic class here at BMCC. The Chancellor’s presence underscores the vital role summer sessions play in enhancing students’ academic journeys and providing accelerated pathways to in-demand professions,” said BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe. “Our paramedic program exemplifies BMCC’s commitment to equipping students with the critical skills needed to address urgent community needs and launch fulfilling careers. We are proud to contribute to a stronger, healthier New York.”
Summer session, which runs from late May to August, gives students the opportunity to earn up to 15 credits. It’s also open to non-CUNY college students, including New York City public high school students.
Meeting A Critical Demand
For the 18 students the Chancellor visited, the emergency medical care course represents the final step to becoming certified paramedics. Across New York, emergency medical service agencies face a growing shortage of EMS responders.
“The students and graduates that come to BMCC are a special group of people. These graduates have a strong sense of their privilege and honor to save lives and create moments of peace and comfort in the worst moments of a person’s life,” said Meghan Williams, BMCC EMS program director and associate professor. “They take their responsibilities seriously and have excelled at their calling.”
Statewide, there has been a in the number of active, certified EMS workers between 2019 and 2022. Emergency medicine programs at CUNY, like the one at BMCC, are helping to bridge the gap while providing a path to fulfilling careers, enabling .
“I was looking for a career route where I’d be able to help people and something I think I’d enjoy. I stumbled upon the paramedic program and decided to try it out,” said BMCC paramedic student Jerome Hall Cameron. “It feels like a privilege to be on the ambulance and go to someone’s house or to the scene on what is probably the worst day of their lives and have them fully trust you.”
As part of the coursework, students work with full-body mannequins to learn how to perform lifesaving measures in an ambulance setting. During the class, students must demonstrate essential skills ranging from intubation to rescue operations. One of just 25 paramedic programs across the state, BMCC’s is the only one in New York that offers both a driving simulator and a built-in ambulance on campus.
“All the instructors here are great. They are all here to help you learn. It’s not just about taking tests; there’s a lot of hands-on skills in the field,” said BMCC paramedic student Darion Strait. “I would absolutely recommend BMCC. I always want to be known as a person who was there and had a positive impact. I want to do the best I can for people.”
Upon completion of the course, students earn their Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree and receive the highest level of certification within New York to provide basic and advanced cardiac life support, pediatric life support as well as pre-hospital trauma life support.
The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and eight graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs, serving nearly 240,000 undergraduate and graduate students and awarding 50,000 degrees each year. CUNY’s mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University’s graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city’s economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city’s workforce in every sector. CUNY’s graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “genius” grants. The University’s historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background. To learn more about CUNY, visit .
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