GTCC EMS student earns community college system’s highest academic award

“I think you get more attention at a community college,” Logan Jenkins says. “I’ve received more individualized learning. My teachers have all been very helpful in pushing me and my classmates to be our best.”

Two years ago, Logan Jenkins was preparing to graduate from a four-year college. She almost immediately returned to the classroom after graduation, though, attending Guilford Technical Community College where she was recently named the college’s 2025 North Carolina Community College System Academic Excellence Award winner.

It is the highest academic honor the system awards to its students. Each of the state’s 58 community colleges selects one student to receive the award annually. To be eligible, students must be currently enrolled, have completed at least 12 semester hours in a curriculum degree program, and have a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.25.

“It’s a great honor to be nominated for this award,” said Jenkins, who had been on the way to a career in research when she changed plans and detoured to GTCC after graduating from Appalachian State University.

“I wish I could thank everyone who put me here. It’s cool to see that all your efforts are going to represent GTCC in such a great way because it’s such a great school.”

“I nominated Logan for the Academic Excellence award because of her all-around accomplishments at the college,” said Robert Griffin, associate professor of emergency medical science at GTCC and one of Jenkins’ most ardent supporters. “Not only are her academics at the top of her class, but she also stepped up to compete for us in SkillsUSA. I can always count on Logan to be punctual, go the extra mile, and rise to the occasion when challenges are put in her way,”

Today, she’s close to graduating from GTCC’s emergency medical science paramedic program, well on her way to a career in medicine. Jenkins’ ultimate goal is to become a physician assistant.

“You get high quality clinical hours being a paramedic,” Jenkins explained. “I will work as a paramedic to earn clinical hours to apply for PA school. I will most likely work for the next year or so before applying for school.”

Her decision to make a career path detour was buoyed by her performance last year in the state and national SkillsUSA competition. Jenkins, along with her competition partner Savannah Langley, won the North Carolina SkillsUSA championship in the emergency medical technician competition and finished second in the national contest.

“Competing in SkillsUSA will help with my resume and was a great opportunity to have more confidence in myself. It also built up my skill level and pushed us to work really hard at homing in on those skills that you need in the workplace.”

Once she has her diploma in hand, Jenkins will head to Raleigh to begin work as a paramedic, joining some of her GTCC friends on the job there. Becoming a paramedic, Jenkins said, is a natural route to PA school.

Jenkins said that paramedics are now allowed to work in emergency departments, a product of the COVID pandemic. She prefers, though, to work on the road.

“Personally, I like working on the truck (ambulance). On the truck, a paramedic can administer meds, IVs, and breathing treatments,” said Jenkins.

In looking back over the past two years, Jenkins says GTCC was the absolute best choice for her.

“I think you get more attention at a community college,” said Jenkins. “I’ve received more individualized learning. Your teachers know you. They’ll be able to write recommendation letters because they really know you well. My teachers have all been very helpful in pushing me and my classmates to be our best.”