Columbia Southern University student Nick Way has been in the fire service since he was 21 years old. He was appointed to fire chief with the Bridgeport Fire Protection District in California’s eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in May 2023, and his new role inspired him to pursue a master’s degree in organizational leadership to pair with his bachelor’s in criminal justice that he earned from CSU.
“I wanted to ensure my department, my firefighters and my community were getting the best leadership they could,” he said. “This degree is giving me the skills I need to not only better my own leadership style, but also better my department. Leadership is an enormously important part of the fire service, and having the best [possible] understanding of leadership makes me the best I can be.”
He is the author of an article titled “Volunteer View: A New Chief’s Guide to Increasing Volunteers” that was published in Firehouse Magazine, which addresses the number of volunteer firefighters hitting an all-time low across the country. The education he’s received from CSU has given him the confidence to write articles for the magazine and to better address the situation.
“Being in this degree program has given me the confidence needed to lead my department and ensure we are successful,” he said. “It has also given me the confidence to write and submit articles to fire service magazines and can say I am now a published author.”
“That was something that had always kind of interested me, but I didn’t think that I necessarily had the education or the skills to do it. Truly it was sort of like that initial English 101 class that I took, the writing mechanics class, that kind of laid the foundation for how to write a professional academic-style article. It wasn’t just something I wanted to do; it was something that could be done.”
To tackle the low number of volunteer firefighters, Nick decided to look inside the department to see what could be improved before turning to the community to recruit.
“Each department is different in what they need, and there is no one solution for every department out there, but if you really take the time to sit down and review what your department needs and then couple that with thinking outside the box, you can accomplish it,” he said. “Instead of focusing so much on the external, I think focusing on the internal is equally as important and really making sure that your department is top notch before looking externally.”
Nick is a firm believer that by having a clean, welcoming fire station and ensuring firefighters have the necessary equipment they need to do the job; for example, updated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) along with proper training methods, more people will be inspired to volunteer.
His efforts have not been in vain—it has boosted moral and has increased the number of people applying to work at his station. As Nick explained in his article for Firehouse Magazine, “We now had a core group of firefighters who appreciated all of the work that we did to improve conditions. This core group became more active than ever and attended every event, training and call. Others in the community saw this effort and responded by applying. Soon, as people saw that we were no longer a sinking ship, they came in droves.”
Taking on the role of fire chief comes with challenges; however, Nick’s experience at CSU helped shape his leadership style and prepared him for the road ahead.
“It’s opened my eyes to a lot of different styles of leadership that maybe I didn’t have before—some of them good, some of them bad—but ultimately having more tools in your toolbox is important,” he said. “[The program] doesn’t produce fire service leaders, but it gives you more ideas and more opportunities on how to be a fire service leader, which I think is very helpful in that there’s really not a lot of programs out there. Most of it is kind of internal on-the-job style training, but CSU helps give you more ideas on things that you can do.”
With his unpredictable schedule, CSU’s online learning platform aligned with his everyday duties, allowing him to complete assignments and move forward with pursuing his degree.
“CSU’s focus on first responders makes it easy to fit the coursework into my busy, ever-changing schedule,” he said. “I was never the best student in high school and didn’t go to college until I was in my 30s; however now that I have done it, I wish I would have started sooner.”
Nick also completed his credentials for Chief Fire Officer Certification through the Center for Public Safety Excellence.
“Personally, I feel more confident in leading my department and fostering growth. Professionally I am able to apply for more certifications as a fire chief that wouldn’t be possible without an advanced degree.”
For first responder students and those looking to advance their careers within the fire service, Nick offers valuable insight.
“There’s always a benefit to be found as long as you keep going,” he said. “Every step is beneficial, even classes that you don’t think you’re going to get a lot out of, you always end up finding something that can help you. You just have to be able to figure out what that thing is that can help.”
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
