2011 Fall - Saint Joseph's College

BECOMES REALITY TV
Since Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health does not grant
college credits and the program was held in Tippecanoe
County, Borck began to explore other local options.
He knew the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing had an
arrangement with Saint Joseph’s College to grant a BSN
degree, so he began to explore this as an option. Would
the College have an interest in the development of an
associate’s degree program off campus?
Uncovering the answer to that question generated many
conversations, emails and phone calls in the summer of
2008 with, Borck says, “None other than Dr. John Nichols,
the professor who, 32 years earlier, had given me a
double D in Core 1 and started me on my career path that
eventually led to instructing paramedic students. It amazes
me how things seem to come full circle.”
They spent more than a year looking at all the options and
possibilities. Borck recalls they decided that development
of an associate’s degree in Paramedic Science was the
best option, especially with the progression of EMS as a
profession: “No better partnership than with my alma
mater—Saint Joseph’s College—and my long-time
employer, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.”
The Paramedic Training Program consists of mostly
non-traditional students. There are single parents, married
students with and without children, students who already
have bachelor’s degrees, up to and including students with
master’s degrees looking for a more fulfilling purpose in
life. Most students come from Tippecanoe and surrounding
counties, but anyone certified by the state of Indiana as an
EMT-B is eligible for the Program.
Like many of his students in the Paramedic Program,
Borck is a lifelong learner—he is currently enrolled in a
M.Ed. program. Looking at how the Paramedic Program has
evolved, Borck reflects on his own evolution--the detour
that his career took from what he planned when he started
out 32 years ago. “I wondered on several occasions why I
had chosen Saint Joseph’s College. Would I ever use my
degree? Why did I get Dr. Nichols for Core 1?” The answers
to these questions are revealed in Borck’s philosophy about
life. “I understand and accept God’s plan for my life. Is it
the path I chose? Not exactly, but I have used my education
and experiences gained at Saint Joseph’s throughout my
life. Life is a journey—let it happen.”
Allen Borck '80 (R) and Darrell
Clase (L), EMS Clinical Coordinator,
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health.
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CONTACT •
FALL 2011