Jean-Marc Thelussaint

Ask someone how they discovered their career and you will most likely get a underwhelming response.  Not so for Jean-Marc Thelussaint.  In early 2018 he found himself in the emergency room at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton.  As he sat patiently in the waiting room, he found himself mesmerized by the work of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).  It was fast-paced, critical, and exciting.

Jean-Marc spoke with hospital staff and later an acquaintance who worked at Brewster Ambulance Service about a career as an EMT.  He was encouraged to take the EMT certificate program at Massasoit Community College.

As a 2016 graduate from Brockton High School, Jean-Marc did not have much in the way of savings so he worked hard to set aside money for the EMT certificate program.  He was greatly relieved to learn that he qualified for the Community Impact Scholarship offered by Massasoit.  Through the scholarship program, which is funded by the United Way of Greater Plymouth County, Jean-Marc paid 25% of the tuition for the program.  Funding from the United Way covered the balance.

This financial support opened the doors to a great opportunity for Jean-Marc and offered him peace of mind to focus on his studies and not worry about how to pay for the program.  He graduated from the EMT program and passed the EMT state exam in December of 2018.  Since then Jean-Marc accepted a job as an EMT with Brewster Ambulance and is continuing his studies at Massasoit in the Paramedic Certificate Program.

While he didn’t know it at the time, that unexpected trip to the emergency room changed the course of Jean-Marc’s life.  It set him on a path to a new career – a career that he now speaks of with great enthusiasm.  He is extremely grateful to the United Way of Greater Plymouth County and its supporters for making this opportunity a reality.