Joan Jackson of Zebulon, North Carolina, has been awarded the Learning Partner Scholarship. She currently works with the Morrisville Fire and Rescue Department and has served in multiple public safety roles, including firefighter, fire inspector, educator and EMT.
“This scholarship would give me the opportunity to not only continue my education at the pace that I hope for, but to just continue it in the first place,” she said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at CSU and truly hope to be able to continue on my path.”
With this scholarship, Jackson plans to pursue a master’s degree in public administration to complement her bachelor’s degree in fire administration, which she earned at CSU.
“My training and education have allowed my resume to shine, but I’ve reached the point where an undergraduate degree just isn’t quite enough,” she said. “A requirement for moving up is advanced education. Within the next five years, I want to have my master’s degree completed and I want to be started on my doctorate program.”
Jackson is a firm believer in educating the public in fire safety to combat life-threatening instances from occurring to begin with through intervention and prevention.
“Community Risk Reduction is not a new topic but the idea of having a team, or a program dedicated to it is relatively new,” she said. “Community Risk Reduction, or CRR to avoid an unnecessary mouthful, is important because it allows someone or a team to evaluate the community as a whole and find out where risks or threats to life safety are present.”
For firefighters like Jackson, educating the public on CRR can mean the difference between property loss or even death.
“For example, we are in a role where we respond to a drowned child as opposed to taking time to teach children, families and residents pool safety. We respond to structure fires where we see life and property losses as opposed to recognizing things that can limit the amounts lost or even have the potential to prevent a fire in the first place. Having someone who can step in and run a program is important, but it can’t be just anyone—it needs to be someone with passion and intelligence and education and the motivation to do well by the community.”
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.
