 Dare County is pleased to announce the recent graduation of six Dare County EMS employees who have successfully completed College of The Albemarle’s (COA) Advanced EMT to Paramedic program: Benjamin Abe, Sean Darsee, Stephanie Kite, Jacob Lynch, Jennifer McCallum and Ethan Tack.
The graduation ceremony was held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at COA’s Dare Campus located at 205 Highway 64 South in Manteo. Paramedics play a vital and essential role in their communities due to their ability to deliver a higher level of pre-hospital care as well as advanced life support to the sick and injured.
Students were enrolled in COA’s paramedic program—which was recently awarded accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs—from October 10, 2022 through November 3, 2023. The program consisted of around 1,000 hours of training over the past 13 months, which included weekly virtual lectures, bi-weekly in-person labs, hospital clinical time, months of field time with designated paramedic preceptors, and countless hours of studying and homework to prepare for exams—all while the students worked full-time public safety schedules and served their communities.
 Image of the graduates listening to Robin Harris, COA Dean of Health Sciences and Wellness Programs, speak.
Stephanie Kite—who has served with Dare County EMS for over five years and was one of the six employees who graduated from the program in November 2023—was inspired to complete the course to not only advance in her career but to better serve the residents and visitors of the Dare County community by earning the paramedic certification.
“I decided to finally take the jump into becoming a paramedic to ultimately better serve my community,” said Kite. “Doing it through COA was a no-brainer; it’s a great, affordable program with great instructors, and with the campuses being so close to home it allowed me to maintain the work/life/school balance that my family and I needed. Becoming a paramedic meant that my son got to watch me succeed at a major goal in my career—and that he gets to witness his mom accomplish anything she puts her mind to!”
 From left to right: COA Emergency Medical Science Assistant Professor/Program Coordinator Walter Meads, Kayla Trader (Currituck), Jennifer McCallum (Dare), Stephanie Kite (Dare), Ethan Tack (Dare), COA Emergency Medical Science Assistant Professor Carla Godwin, Jacob Lynch (Dare), Arthur Davis (Pasquotank), Sean Darsee (Dare), COA Emergency Medical Science Field Clinical Coordinator Caitlyn Colson, and COA Emergency Medical Science Assistant Professor Clifton Beaman. Not pictured: Benjamin Abe (Dare).
Sean Darsee, another of the six Dare County EMS employees who graduated from the COA program this fall, is a marine biologist who worked in that profession for over 10 years before deciding to pursue a career in emergency medical services with Dare County.
“Sometimes you discover a newfound passion when you least expect it,” said Darsee. “After experiencing what it was like to arrive first on scene and help someone receive the emergency care they needed to survive, I wanted to dive headfirst into EMS with the goal of becoming a paramedic and delivering the highest level of care I can. I feel very fortunate to live in a community where I can engage in both of my passions.”
Following the graduation ceremony that was held on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, Dare County EMS Director Chief Jennie Collins congratulated the six Dare County EMS employees who completed the program—and who have also all passed their North Carolina State Paramedic Exam and are now fully credentialed—and expressed her appreciation for the essential services they provide to the citizens and visitors of Dare County.
“Dare County EMS is extremely proud of our graduates, and we are thankful for their continued service and dedication to our community,” said Collins. “The paramedic program is a lengthy commitment, and these individuals have made a tremendous effort and sacrificed personal time for this achievement. Congratulations to Dare County’s newest paramedics!”
The Dare County EMS employees who have successfully completed College of The Albemarle’s (COA) Advanced EMT to Paramedic program are listed below.
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Sean Darsee, Dare County EMS Paramedic |
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Stephanie Kite, Dare County EMS Paramedic |
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Jacob Lynch, Dare County EMS Paramedic |
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Jennifer McCallum, Dare County EMS Paramedic |
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Ethan Tack, Dare County EMS Paramedic |
Not pictured: Benjamin Abe, Dare County EMS Paramedic
For more information about local EMS programs that are available through COA, please visit www.albemarle.edu/emsce or contact COA’s EMS program coordinator, Walter Meads, at walter_meads@albemarle.edu or 252-335-0821 ext. 2519. For more information about Dare County EMS—including several positions that are currently available within the department—please click the button below.
 From left to right: Kayla Trader (Currituck), Ethan Tack (Dare), Jennifer McCallum (Dare), Jacob Lynch (Dare), Stephanie Kite (Dare), Arthur Davis (Pasquotank), and Sean Darsee (Dare) recite the Code of Ethics for EMS Practitioners.
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