New scholarship to support St. Mike’s Fire and Rescue students

The Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue Squad caught Andrew Jones’ attention as he and his family drove toward campus for a prospective student in the late 2010s.

The student volunteers were hanging out in front of the Robert E. Sutton Fire and Rescue Station on a beautiful day.

“It was just a different world across the street,” said Andrew, a 2022 graduate. “They had their own little community that they were a part of.”

Andrew Jones ’22, center, poses with members of Saint Michael’s Rescue while he was a student. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Jones)

Andrew is now a full-time Advanced EMT in the Outer Banks, N.C. — and a new merit-based scholarship at St. Mike’s bears his name.

Kevin and Karla Jones, Andrew’s parents, established the Andrew S. Jones ’22 Scholarship to honor the Fire and Rescue community that helped shape their son, paying it forward to other students making the same commitment to service.

“Fire and Rescue takes on that responsibility of life and death, saving people, saving property — that matures you,” Kevin said. “As a parent to see (that) in your child, it was phenomenal.”

Andrew Jones ’22 poses with Saint Michael’s Fire Engine 8. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Jones)

The scholarship will be awarded to two outstanding students enrolled in the Fire & Rescue program who demonstrate academic excellence and interest in pursuing a career in that field — one student specializing in Fire and one in Rescue. The selection process will involve representatives from the College’s Fire and Rescue leadership and the Director of the Emergency Services program.

“This gift will have a significant impact on the recipients who dedicate 20-plus hours a week to saving lives in the community while managing their academic schedules,” said Ellen Kane, Saint Michael’s College Vice President for Advancement and Communications. “Many do not have the time to get a job for additional income. We are so grateful to the Jones family.”

Founded in 1969 as one of New England’s first college-affiliated fire departments, Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue operates 24/7 thanks to staffing by student and alumni volunteers. The independent volunteer organization serves both the campus and surrounding towns by providing fire protection and emergency medical treatment, responding to more than 3,000 calls annually.

St. Mike’s launched an Emergency Medical Services minor in fall 2025, and this coming fall, the College debuts a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services with specialized tracks in EMS, fire science, wilderness medicine, and emergency management.

Kate Soons ’94, St. Mike’s director of Health Science and Emergency Services programs, said that pairing academics with the hands-on experience of Fire and Rescue is “so very unique across the country.” The program, she said, goes beyond technical training.

“(Fire and Rescue) definitely teaches you how to be in a grown-up, real-life role,” Soons said.

Andrew Jones ’22 at a fire call during his time as a student. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Jones)

The need for a well-trained, adaptable emergency workforce has increased as workforce shortages have become critical. Demand for emergency services in Vermont alone grew 22% in the last five years. The curriculum created for the new ES program responds to that need while honoring the core values of the Society of St. Edmund, the Catholic order of priests who founded the College.

“The Catholic religion teaches a life of service,” Kevin Jones said. The new Emergency Services program is “a huge step forward” for service, community, and the College itself, he added.

“It’s for the benefit of everybody — the student and their communities, wherever they end up,” he said.

The scholarship provides a “thank you for your service” to outstanding high achievers, Soons said.

Andrew Jones exemplified that model as a student, earning the trust of his peers and rising to captain his senior year.  Meanwhile, he studied to earn an information systems degree and pursued additional emergency services training. He acquired his Firefighter I and II national certifications with Fire and Rescue, completed an EMT-Basic certification through the University of Vermont, and took additional classes through the Vermont Fire Academy.

“As a mother, obviously you always worry,” Karla Jones said, but added that the training her son received taught him what to do and kept him safe. “I’m just very proud.”

Andrew Jones, center, works with other firefighters on Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue to use a hose. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Jones)

Andrew Jones began working in a paid position at the Winooski Fire Department part-time during his junior year and full-time during the summers. Working for Winooski Fire, he also put his information systems education to good use. He analyzed years of call and staffing data to build a City Council presentation that made the case for increased staffing and a new truck to meet shifting and emerging needs in the city. Andrew applied that same analytical lens to inspection data, strengthening the department’s Community Risk Reduction efforts.

Upon graduation, Andrew had two different career paths with one degree.

“Not only could I have gone into being a first responder, but I could have done information systems very easily, just the same,” Andrew said.

During a Fire and Rescue boot camp run by St. Mike’s alumni, Andrew decided his direction. Volunteers from across the country return to campus annually for a week of training, and what struck Andrew most was their confidence in the squad.

“They said they would take any one of us students to work with them any day over people they work with now,” he said.

Andrew Jones ’22 (seated on the left) poses with other members of Saint Michael’s Fire and Rescue as they eat together in the SMFR station’s kitchen. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Jones)

Andrew’s alumni networking continued to prove valuable, connecting him with other training opportunities, and, eventually, the Connecticut native landed his first post-grad job as a firefighter and EMT in Elizabeth City, N.C. His colleagues have become a second family, he said – much like the tight-knit SMFR community.

To focus on becoming a paramedic, Andrew joined Dare County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), serving the Outer Banks, where he works with a partner.

“You’re both seeing things that aren’t the best, and that helps bond people,” he said. “You get to know each other, working together and going to help people in the community.”

Andrew will complete his paramedic coursework later this year. He’s also using his information systems degree to analyze the strategic placement of Dare County stations based on the calls they receive to improve outcomes. He said he’s helping translate the data into understanding for others in the county.

The Outer Banks is a popular tourist spot in the summer, making it the busiest season for the department.

“We’re on calls, pretty much all summer, every day,” Andrew said. But regardless of the volume, “we still show them the same customer service.”