Chadds Ford’s Nicholas Scull owes his career choice to his grandmother. She’s the person who got him a job as a hospital orderly 14 years ago, and now the 38-year-old father of two is on his way to a degree in public safety — with the help of a scholarship from Crozer Hospital EMS.
Scull, a working paramedic, is one of six recipients of the Robert C. Reeder Scholarship, and the only one going after a college degree. The other five are EMTs attending paramedic school. This year’s award is $2,000.
The scholarship is named for the former chief of Crozer’s EMS. Reeder died of a heart attack two years ago.
Larry Worrilow, the assistant chief of Crozer’s EMS, said the primary criteria for receiving the scholarship is that the recipient is an employee of Crozer’s EMS.
“They have to be either in the paramedic school or in an advanced degree program at one of the local colleges.”
Scull is four classes away from earning his bachelor’s degree in public safety and health from Neuman University. He’s hoping to get the degree after completing the winter semester this year, taking two classes during the fall term and the last two during the winter session.
He began his career at the Media Fire House as an EMT, then became an orderly at Riddle Hospital thanks to his grandmother. He then became an emergency room technician, and then he went to paramedic school. He’s been a paramedic since then.
Scull sees his future as one of many possibilities.
“I’ll obviously continue to be a paramedic, perhaps in an administrative role and then, maybe work on policies that could affect the county and public health,” he said.
Scull is appreciative of the scholarship. It will help him complete his degree, “but more importantly,” he added, “the scholarship will provide the education, and with the education, you can apply tactics to your daily methods … and learning ways to attack a problem.”
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
