As the spring semester comes to an end and graduation approaches, Colgate University seniors are not only preparing to bid farewell to Hamilton, but also wrapping up years of intellectual growth reflected in their senior theses.
Senior Will Boemer, a political science major and local firefighter here in Hamilton, delves into firefighting regulations in Madison County in his senior thesis.
“As a firefighter here in Hamilton, I was interested in exploring how the proposed standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] will impact us and our day-to-day operations,” Boemer said.
The proposed standards were released by OSHA in February 2024.
“The standard changes everything about firefighting — particularly volunteer firefighting — and mandates more certification, documentation, training, planning and changes to policy and procedure,” Boemer said. “Given the significance of this change, I wanted to explore how it was impacting local agencies like the one I work for.”
Led by Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Public Affairs and Policy Research Initiative Sam Rosenfeld, a key part of Boemer’s extensive research has involved conducting many interviews with local firefighters here in Hamilton and across other towns in Madison County. Aside from drawing his final conclusions, Boemer has found this aspect of his research the most rewarding.
“The best part has been visiting fire stations and fire departments across the region. It’s amazing to speak with people who do the same job as me and are so willing to share their experiences,” Boemer said.
While the research process can be incredibly fulfilling and enriching, crafting a senior thesis does not come without its fair share of challenges. For some students, difficulties may arise in this extensive research process, such as managing large amounts of data and tackling unexpected obstacles.
For Boemer, one of the more difficult aspects of the process has been finding the right words to capture all he learns through interviews and his firsthand experience. Translating those meaningful conversations to fit in his thesis proved to be a unique challenge.
“I see and understand what’s happening when I speak with fire chiefs and fire officers, but translating that into the actual academic language and writing has been difficult,” Boemer said.
Amidst the challenges, however, Boemer discovered the greater Colgate firefighting community, made up of staff who work at stations outside of Hamilton. He also learned that many Colgate staff members are not only dedicated to their roles at the University, but also to their roles as members of their larger community as volunteer firefighters.
“It was crazy to meet so many firefighters from other towns who work at the University,” Boemer said. “The network of Colgate staff who work in the local fire service as volunteers is impressive.”
With graduation just around the corner, students like Boemer are busy preparing for their lives beyond Colgate’s campus. Armed with the knowledge gained through writing his thesis, Boemer plans to continue his work in the fire service while pursuing a career in hospitality.
Boemer leaves us with the important reminder to show great appreciation for our local firefighters everywhere, especially those volunteering to help our local community in Madison County.
“Many of the support staff we rely on day to day pull double duty as local firefighters. All the more reason to share your appreciation for all they do,” Boemer said.
