At QCC, we often say that our students don’t just change their own lives, they change the lives of their families too. In the case of Pat Schmohl, dean of the School of Healthcare, this is entirely true.
For decades, the Schmohl family has humbly and consistently turned to QCC to further their education and careers, all while dedicating themselves to public service in various ways.
Pat's mother, Bonnie Schmohl, and father, Charlie Schmohl, came from families that prioritized serving the public. Bonnie’s father was a police chief and her mother was a nurse, while Charlie’s mother was a teacher. It was no surprise that Pat and his siblings have all pursued careers in education and healthcare.
The family’s QCC story started when Bonnie enrolled in 1965. She fondly remembers her time at the college, which offered an affordable and convenient path to higher education. After graduating, Bonnie focused on starting a family, but put her degree to work as an aide in the local public school and a position with the town of Princeton’s tax collection department.
“I’m happy I had the experience. It was a great place to start,” said Bonnie about her years at QCC.
Charlie took a different path to education. He spent years climbing the ranks of the Princeton Police Department, before becoming chief in 1988. Recognizing the value of formal credentials and knowing that many officers had gone through QCC’s program, he enrolled in the criminal justice program, later receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western New England University.
The family legacy continued when Pat decided to become a firefighter and paramedic. With his mother’s encouragement, Pat took his first college course at QCC - a medical terminology class, which gave him the confidence to communicate effectively with other medical professionals during emergencies.
“I had the opportunity to work on many emergency calls with Pat when he was a paramedic,” Charlie recalled. “I couldn’t have been any prouder of him.”
With a clear passion for helping others, Pat went on to get a Fire Science degree, which he credits for giving him the competitive edge needed in the job market at the time. He continued to progress professionally, eventually becoming the chief of the Princeton Fire Department and later receiving another degree from QCC, this time in nursing.
One day, while trying to track down his college transcript on QCC’s website, he stumbled upon the open job postings and the first listing was for a fire/EMS clinical coordinator.
“It was like the job was meant for me. And probably the best decision I’ve made was to take it,” Pat shared.
Pat started in that position in 2005 and found he thrived in a classroom environment. Seeing how many lives were impacted by his students as they advanced their careers in paramedicine or fire science has been incredibly rewarding. He advanced to various other roles at the college, including assistant vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of Distance Learning & Professional Development, but will always feel at home teaching others.
These days, Pat makes an impact in other ways after becoming Dean of the School of Healthcare in 2017.
“Now I can help even more by looking at our programs and policies. I can help faculty do what I loved doing,” Pat continued.
QCC has become a family affair for the next generation as well. Pat’s wife and daughter have both taken supplemental classes at the college and his son, Chip Schmohl, is currently enrolled as an engineering and business student.
The Schmohl family continues to build a legacy of learning in service of helping others, all within the QCC community.
“QCC is a great college and I’m proud that my husband, son and grandson wanted to attend,” Bonnie sad, adding. “I guess I started a little Quinsig tradition.”