The Blinn College District recognizes 19 Paramedic Program graduates with pinning ceremony

Excellent instruction and real-world scenarios prepare graduates to serve their communities

August 14, 2024

The Blinn College District Paramedic Program recently welcomed 19 graduates to the profession during a pinning ceremony at the Blinn RELLIS Administration Building at Texas A&M-RELLIS.

Each graduate earned their paramedic technology certificate or Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Associate of Applied Science degree, which qualifies them for entry-level paramedic positions and can be applied toward a bachelor’s degree.

Blinn’s Paramedic Program includes basic and clinical emergency medical technician, emergency pharmacology, clinical emergency medical services, trauma management, cardiology, medical emergencies, and EMS operations. Program graduates are prepared for certification or licensure by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

“These graduates are invaluable first responders equipped with the skills and training to save lives,” Program Director Zack Varner said. “The state-of-the-art simulation labs at Texas A&M-RELLIS prepare them for a wide variety of emergency situations and students complete this program with the tools to safeguard their patients.”

Blinn’s Paramedic Program is based at the RELLIS Academic Alliance Complex at Texas A&M-RELLIS in Bryan, where students gain hands-on skills utilizing the facility’s 16,000-square-foot simulation laboratories.

The graduating class includes Joshua M. Almendarez (Converse), Dakota M. Brown (Kennedale), Aiki B. Ellis (Round Rock), Amanda L. Garrett (College Station), Christian D. Gold (Round Rock), Jesse T. Hernandez (Katy), Nicolaas A. Linde (Fort Worth), Jason L. Moore, Jr. (College Station), Ever J. O’Neill, Kody J. Outlaw (Liberty), Devonte J. Paldo (Navasota), Bryce D. Pennell, Brady M. Quarles (Decatur), Jesse M. Rupp (Orange, Calf.), Morgan D. Street (Caldwell), Jett J.M. Ubben (Dallas), Joshua D. Valenta (College Station), Ruben J. Valero II (San Antonio), and Kephas K. Wallace (San Antonio).

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, paramedics earned a median salary of $57,450 in 2023. Graduates who pass their certification and licensure exams are eligible to work in the ambulance service industry, local governments, outpatient care centers, and hospitals.

Blinn’s Paramedic Program is part of the Emergency Medical Services Program, which offers emergency medical technician and paramedic training. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/emergency-medical-services.