Brian Brownell ’10 has risen to the pinnacle of the university’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program, which he directs.  He began his involvement with the program in his freshman year as a first responder.  He quickly climbed the ranks through the roles of emergency medical technician (EMT), crew chief and assistant director.  In fall 2009 Brownell was named director of the SLU EMS program, the highest position available.

Brownell, who is from Fort Edward, N.Y., and graduated from Hudson Falls High School, describes his position as director as “a great responsibility.”  He alternates with the assistant director every other week to act “in a supervisory fashion 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he adds.

Still involved with on-campus field work, Brownell adds, “for serious calls the student EMTs often call or page me for medical consults.”  Also an active member of Canton Fire and Rescue, Brownell instructs community CPR and first aid classes.

A biochemistry major, Brownell was named a St. Lawrence University Stradling Fellow last summer.  Working under chemistry professor Emily Dixon, he completed a senior thesis entitled 14-3-3 Proteins, Bmh1p and Bmh2p, Infractions with Cruciform Structures in Saccramyches Cerviscue’s GAP1 Promoter Region.

Brownell has also be active in student government, serving first as chair of public relations and more recently as the vice president for university relations of the Thelomathesian Society.  Regarding his tenure, Brownell says, “As a member of ‘Thelmo’ I was able to experience a whole new side of SLU, which helped me to become a better participant in the St. Lawrence community.”

Brownell is hoping to work in the Teach for America program, after which he intends to attend medical school.                                               

--Emily Gowdey-Backus ’10