Northland Pioneer College (NPC) celebrated advanced emergency medical tech (EMT) and paramedic graduates at a ceremony held at the Snowflake Campus Performing Arts Center on May 23, 2026.
The advanced EMT cohort graduates included Travis North, Carl Pruett, Tenney Mead, Cary Wallace and Walker Wilson. The paramedic cohort graduates were Garrett Allen, Peter Bird, Riane Dela Cruz, Madison Delisle, Weston Fuentes, Austin Goodman, Marcus Pompe and Joshua Simpson. Family, friends, and colleagues joined the graduates to celebrate their accomplishment.
NPC EMS Coordinator Michelle Prentice addressed the crowd, acknowledging the students’ hard work and dedication to the rigorous program. “Today marks something significant,” she said. “The beginning of your professions. A profession you didn’t choose because it’s easy, but because it matters.” She explained, “At some point in time…, every last one of you decided that if something goes wrong, you want to be the one who shows up. As EMS professionals, you are summoned to a calling.” She said, “We don’t always save lives, but we have the opportunity to care. To step into the chaos and bring calm, to let someone know they are not alone. You will never know the impact you have.” She continued, “It matters. Every time you show up, it matters. This job will challenge you, but it will also shape you. It will teach you compassion, resilience, and what it means to truly care for people. The patch you wear is more than a symbol. It’s a promise. A promise to show up, to care, and it matters every time. What you do matters. Congratulations and welcome to EMS.”
In addition to a rigorous schedule and demanding coursework, graduates of Northland Pioneer College’s nine-month EMT Paramedicine program must complete 240 clinical hours working rotations in hospitals throughout the area and put in an additional 260 vehicular ambulance hours.
NPC offers two levels of EMT training. The training provides a step-by-step pathway to achieve certification as an emergency medical technician and paramedic. Students who complete the first step become Emergency Medical Technicians-Basic. Students completing the second step become Emergency Medical Technicians-Advanced. Upon completing the full program, graduates will be eligible to take the Advanced Life Support (ALS) certification tests for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians and, upon successful completion, will be certified by the Arizona Department of Health Services. NPC also offers a EMS certification renewal program. For more information, contact EMS Coordinator Michelle Prentice at 928-532-6139 or email her at michelle.prentice@npc.edu.
