The Fire & Emergency Services program at Texas A&M University-San Antonio is a smaller program that has provided big opportunities to those who have completed it.
Roberta Cancio, an alumna, shared her experience and what it was like trying to juggle classes and school. Cancio was already an active firefighter when she enrolled in the program and had to juggle classes while working 24-48 hours a week at the San Antonio Fire Department.
The FESA program is all online, which makes it easier for students who work full time to complete the program. One thing that caught Cancio’s attention about the FESA program was that Texas A&M-San Antonio offers an online four-year bachelor’s degree in the Fire & Emergency degree field.
“The FESA degree program at TAMUSA was unique to me in that it was strictly an online program,” Cancio said.
According to firescience.org, Texas A&M University-San Antonio is the only school in Texas that offers a four-year program. Other schools in Texas only offer associate degrees in fire science. One thing the FESA program gave Cancio was the confidence to work through school and stay focused on her courses. She said the FESA program gave her the tools needed to further her career.
After graduating Summa Cumm Laude in Spring of 2015 with a Bachelor’s of Applied Arts and Sciences in Fire and Emergency Services Administration. She remained a firefighter and recently completed eight years working as a Firefighter-EMT for the San Antonio Fire Department.
After that, she decided it was time to put the skills she learned in the FESA program to good use. She studied and tested for a promotion to be an engineer. As of right now she is awaiting an appointment on the list for a promotion to engineer.
The program at A&M-San Antonio works to accommodate the busy schedules of its students, Cancio said.“The fire schedule was one that had never been recognized, tolerated as an excuse, nor accommodated by any other college campus in the area,” she said.
That is what made the FESA program at A&M-San Antonio appealing to her. Firefighters have to spend nights away from home to be on the job. Most students have trouble juggling part-time jobs and classes, but Cancio was able to juggle a full-time job that requires physical and mental toughness. The FESA program has not only been able to change Cancio’s life but other alumni’s as well.
Irvin “Butch” Miller, the program’s associate professor, said Cancio is one of many alumni who have been successful in their careers after completing the FESA program.
Students can get an idea of what the program costs by visiting Tuition and Fee Schedule
For those interested in the FESA program or wanting to speak to an alumna of the program, Cancio can be reached at 210-364-0480 and Miller can be reached at 210-784-2341.
