Villanova students volunteer as firefighters at Bryn Mawr Fire Company
Villanova students volunteer as firefighters at Bryn Mawr Fire Company
Villanova University students are volunteering as firefighters at Bryn Mawr Fire Company while managing demanding academic schedules.
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Some Villanova University students are stepping up outside the classroom, volunteering as firefighters at Bryn Mawr Fire Company while managing their college coursework.
Villanova students juggle academics and firefighting
What we know:
Ten Villanova students are currently volunteering at Bryn Mawr Fire Company.
The group includes students from a range of majors, including mechanical engineering and civil and environmental engineering.
Freshman Colton Musselman, a mechanical engineering major from Harleysville, said, "I do it I think because I find enjoyment in learning new things. This is something I find challenging and I can see the direct impact it makes so I find that really rewarding."
Sophomore Anne Earl, a civil and environmental engineering major from Virginia Beach, said, "I think what I like most is getting to learn something every time you show up. It's not the same. It's not reading the textbook and knowing where it is going to go. You're going to learn something and you have no idea what it going to be whenever you come here."
The students say the experience is both hectic and rewarding. "It can be very hectic sometimes, but it is worth it," said Musselman.
John Burns, a junior from Massachusetts, said he had not considered volunteering until he met a recruiter at a campus job fair. "I came to a first drill, got to meet some of the guys and I instantly felt really welcome at the firehouse. It felt like I fit right in and it was only a month later I got my first set of gear to begin training," said Burns.
Why you should care:
The students’ commitment highlights the importance of volunteer firefighters in the community.
Fire Chief Bill Gallagher said, "They give of themselves all the time. They study here. They hang around here. These kids are committed. They really really are and they're incredible. They're just great human beings."
Kylee Hall, who graduated from Villanova, became the first female captain in the fire company’s 124-year history. "I came from Vermont, came to Villanova knowing nobody and this was definitely a community I wanted to be part of," said Hall.
The students balance rigorous academic schedules with unpredictable emergency calls, demonstrating discipline and time management.
"I think a lot of it is time management. It's about being able to have a schedule and stay on top of things. You never know when the bells go off," said Dominic Cipriani, a 20-year-old mechanical engineering major.
The students’ involvement is seen as a positive force for both the fire company and the wider community.