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Archived Articles
Written by Dr. William Carroll
First Responders Program
By William J. Carroll
Background: In the summer of 2001, Dr. Carroll, president of
Benedictine University fulfilled a long-time dream when one day
he suited-up, and trained with the Lisle-Woodridge Fire District.
He was part of a group that dealt with situations firefighters
encounter each day.
That up-close experience gave Dr. Carroll a e glimpse into their
brotherhood that stems from concern for each other, and for the
people they protect and serve. He also learned that often firefighters
are unable to complete, or even afford, a college education, which
they need for employment following retirement or disability.
After 9/11 - In November of 2000, Dr. Carroll established a Benedictine
University firefighter scholarship for $15,000 - the cost of one
year's tuition or several part-time enrollments. The firefighters
were asked to decide the best way to use the money. They in turn,
asked how many instructors the $15,000 would support, if classes
could be taught in the firehouse.
This challenged the University to stretch its own thinking. It
began classes for an Associate of Arts in Business Administration
(AABA) on April 11, 2002, and a Bachelor of Arts in Management
(BAM), on May 10, 2002 in cohort format in the firehouses. Firefighters
who began the program then received degrees in fall 2004.
Police were added to the program, so firefighters and police pay
for textbooks and graduation fees, while the University absorbs
tuition costs. Of the initial 103 firefighters involved, over
half applied to the program.
Master degrees - A Master of Business Admin-istration (M.B.A.)
and a Master of Science in Management and Organizational Behavior
(MSMOB) classes are taught to First Respon-ders on Benedictine's
campus on Friday eve-ning, and all day Saturday and Sunday for
approximately two years. The mix of Business majors, fire, and
police personnel creates inter-esting discussions in the classroom.
Federal Grant: Dr. Carroll, Will Gillett, Chair of Benedictine
University Board of Trustees, and two Fire Chiefs went to Washington,
D.C.
several times to meet staffs in offices of (former Speaker) J.
Dennis Hastert and Representative Judy Biggert to discuss the
possibility of a First Responders Federal Grant. Representative
Biggert delivered a check to the University for a $2 million Federal
Grant on July 31, 2005, so that the First Responders program could
continue and expand.
Current statistics: More than 400 police and fire professionals
have enrolled in the program, with 340 Fire and Police students
currently taking classes. Forty-six have graduated: 7 with an
AABA, 19 with a BA, 9 with an MSMOB, and 11 with an MBA.
There are 37 Public Service Organization sites for fire personnel
from Yorkville north to Crystal Lake, and across suburbs to Skokie
and Calumet City. Fire Officials from Huntley, North Maine, Pleasant-view,
Tri-State and York Center are included in these programs.
Forty Public Service Organizations offer programs to police from
counties and cities a-cross the northern part of the state. Also
included are Offices of the Cook County Sheriff, Du Page Sheriff,
Kendall County Sheriff, and Illinois State Police.
Nineteen Fire and Police are in the First Responders program at
Springfield College in Illinois, a partner of Benedictine University.
Two MOB students have already graduated there.
Time Management help - Shortly after Terry Vavra, Deputy Chief
of Training, Education & Safety for the Lisle-Woodridge District
began his Time Management MOB class, he began applying newly-learned
techniques in the firehouse. He said that efficiency and speed
improved. Vavra also spoke of the unusual experience of having
the authors who wrote the textbooks teach the classes.
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Last updated
March 13, 2008
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