Lily Kim was walking on the quad the first few weeks into freshman year, when she saw “Join Syracuse Ambulance!” written in chalk on the path. She took interest but didn’t think she was qualified. She then went to an open house and found there were no requirements to join. She decided to apply, and out of the many applicants was accepted.

Kim is from Torrance, California, and came to Syracuse without knowing a single person. She said Syracuse University Ambulance provided her with an extremely loving community during a time of transition in her life. In addition, she’s passionate about the fact that together, they have a direct impact on campus life.

Though Kim loves SUA, she admitted it has crossed her mind to quit. Between working volunteer hours at the station, doing school work and managing other jobs, donating her time gets to be tiresome. But she has managed to keep trucking the whole four years.

SUA works closely the Department of Public Safety and the Syracuse Fire Department. Kim explained that in her four years as an EMT, she’s learned a lot through working with them. Relationships with authority on campus taught her to be more responsible and make good choices, while also helping build her professional side.

As an 18-year-old freshman, Kim said she was a very guarded and closed-off person. With constant calls and helping patients, not only was Kim helping others, but SUA was helping her grow into the person she’d always wanted to be.

“It’s the conversation that I’m having with the patient that I feel makes me a better person because the conversation is real and it makes me feel more real,” Kim said.

Kim’s EMT certification expires in May of 2017, but she fully intends on getting re-certified and getting her national registry so she can be an EMT in other states and continue serving her community, wherever it may be.

Months from now, Kim will walk away from SU’s campus with not only a degree in information management and technology and political science, but with the satisfaction that she gave back to her college community as much as it gave to her.

Published on September 18, 2016 at 7:13 pm