(LAKE WORTH, Fla. – Aug. 11, 2022) — Cassandra Rose has twin passions: art and medicine. Now her worlds have joined together in a wall art project for Palm Beach State College’s Emergency Medical Services programs

Graduating this month from the Paramedic program, Rose just completed painting the corridor walls of the EMS section of the PSC building, part of the Public Safety Training Center on the Lake Worth campus.

Featuring a caduceus and electrocardiogram heartbeat, the wall art was requisitioned by Matt Keeler, director of EMS programs at PBSC.

“I wanted to have a mural to enliven the space and inspire our students,” Keeler said. “Cassy Rose was a great find being one of our students as well as a talented artist.”

Rose, who was born and raised in South Florida, always loved art but has no formal training.

“As long as I can remember, I’ve been doodling, painting and drawing,” she said. “It tends to be my form of stress relief and helps me relax, and I love being able to portray my own perspective on the world through my art.”

Rose started her own art business a few years ago after her restaurant employer noticed her sketching on her free time and asked her to paint a mural. She has clients from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach, but she volunteered her services for PBSC.

“What better way to give back to the school that’s done so much for me than for me to paint for them.”

The inspiration to become a firefighter/paramedic stems from having seen firefighters in action when she was younger and appreciating how much they helped people.

In Florida, firefighters are also required to be, at a minimum, emergency medical technicians who perform basic life support. Rose graduated from PBSC’s EMT program and attended Broward Fire Academy because it had immediate openings. After graduating from the academy, she enrolled in PBSC’s Paramedic program, which focuses on advanced life support. Having passed her state certification exams, she’s currently interviewing for firefighter/paramedic positions

“I love the whole idea behind this job. I love the medical portion, and I love fighting fires,” she said. “I think the entire job is amazing and fascinating. There’s also always something to learn, which I like.”

One day Rose may look to advance her career in the medical field, but for now, she is perfectly happy being a firefighter/paramedic and doing her art.

“I think that it’s important to love what you do, and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to provide myself with a living doing the two things I love most.

Go to @cassyroseart on Instagram to see more of Rose’s work.

Founded in 1933 as Florida’s first public community college, Palm Beach State College has been an integral player in the growth and prosperity of Palm Beach County. Our graduates impact every industry and are community and business leaders. With more than 130 programs of study, PBSC offers bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, professional certificates, career training and lifelong learning. More than 40,000 students enroll annually in face-to-face, online, live online and hybrid classes at five convenient locations in Lake Worth, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens, Belle Glade and Loxahatchee Groves. Learn more at www.palmbeachstate.edu.