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Noah Kruzich is back at Union as the International Rescue and Relief Program’s newest lecturer and EMS coordinator. After graduating with an IRR degree in 2019, Kruzich worked as a paramedic in the emergency department of St. Louis Children’s Hospital while also teaching as an EMT instructor. He then led a street medical team providing care for homeless communities in Los Angeles County. He said, “I’m a huge advocate for the IRR Program, because I’ve been told by my former employers that I wouldn’t have gotten those jobs without my degree.”

Kruzich is looking forward to drawing on his real-world experience as he teaches EMT certification. “To be an EMT or a paramedic, you have to have a passion and drive for the work to thrive,” he said. “It’s really cool as an instructor to bring out that passion in the students, especially those who might have felt hesitant at first.”

Kruzich loves to travel and has been to 48 states. “I don’t count airports or driving through,” he said. “I love everything outdoors: camping, rappelling, backpacking.” His favorite place to visit is Colorado. “No matter how many times I go there, I love getting to the absolute middle of nowhere. In some parts, it feels like you’re on Mars. You appreciate the world a little more when it makes you feel so small.”

“The IRR Program has a huge sense of community,” said Kruzich. “Some of the classmates I graduated with are still very close to me, even though I haven’t seen them in a while. That sense of community is very important to me, and I’m looking forward to helping current students develop it for themselves.”