CPaCE News

PHOTO: The 2014 Galahad Fire raging through Kaibab National Forest near the Grand Canyon

When Gregory Vigneaux saw the recent string of California wildfires on TV, he asked himself, 'How do we improve how we think about fire?'

Vigneaux has the experience to provide an answer, since he has fought fires in 14 states for the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service. As part of specially-trained Hotshot Crews, Vigneaux traveled from fire to fire on a rigorous schedule. But he wanted to do more, and began expanding his knowledge through CSULB’s Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration (EMER) degree program.

“I remember looking at the EMER courses and feeling that they resonated with the direction I wanted to go in,” he said. With his demanding job, the online EMER platform granted Vigneaux the ability to keep working while finishing his degree. When he started another fire season in 2014, his perspective changed from just being 'a pair of boots on the ground” to having a bigger role in disaster response.

Fatefully, Vigneaux sustained injuries on the job that brought his service as a firefighter to an end. Two major surgeries were followed by extensive recovery and therapy.

“The experience was difficult, and it presented unexpected challenges,” said Vigneaux. “Fortunately, my master’s degree was preparing me for other capacities.”

Thanks to support from his fiancé,  friends, the firefighting community, and EMER instructors, Vigneaux was able to maintain a perfect GPA,  graduate Suma Cum Laude in 2016, and earn the Woodrow Wilson Award for academic excellence in the face of adversity.

Since then, he has worked as a research consultant and recently applied to a PhD program in Environmental Studies.

“I am looking to continue to help those who help others,” said Vigneaux. “The EMER program was an unbelievably transformative and enlightening experience. I see the world from a very different perspective than before.”