Gordon State College Hosts Fifth Annual Legacy Lecture Focusing on Entrepreneurship, Leadership
By Karolina Philmon, GSC marketing manager
Gordon State College hosted its Fifth Annual Legacy Lecture last month with featured guest speaker Jorge Rogue Jr., public safety entrepreneur and president of Pillar EMS Academy in Macon, Georgia.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jorge to our campus for this lecture, where he will delve into the realms of leadership and entrepreneurship,” said Dr. Donald J Green, GSC president. “Leadership holds immense significance in shaping our lives, and it is a core value that we aim to instill in every student at Gordon State College.”
Departing from the conventional lecture style, Rogue instead engaged attendees in conversation through a Q&A and storytelling. When asked about the most challenging aspect of launching a business, Rogue said the real challenge lies in “getting it off the floor and into motion."
“The trait of an entrepreneur lies in their willingness to confront and embrace their internal doubts, rather than letting fear hold them back,” Rogue said.
The intention behind Rogue's open discussion was to prompt the audience to explore their own experiences with and perceptions of leadership. He stressed the significance of building these tools to create their vision and to effectively execute their plans.
“As a leader, it is possible that the individuals you appoint to positions may not fully grasp the potential that lies before them. That’s why it becomes the leader's responsibility to illustrate this opportunity and nurture their confidence, enabling them to emerge as leaders,” Rogue said.
Rogue’s career and experience spans over 22 years. With an extensive background in the public safety sector, Rogue is an accomplished instructor in this area and has served as a firefighter, driver engineer, and business owner. His areas of expertise include hands-on training, emergency services, safety preparedness, and rescue missions. Rogue earned his Bachelor of Science in public administration and social services from Middle Georgia State University and his Master of Public Administration from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York.
After participating in numerous disaster relief missions, Rogue established the Pillar EMS Academy in October of 2020. He believed that he could make meaningful contributions by providing students comprehensive education programs in the pre-hospital emergency setting.
Pillar EMS Academy’s mission is to prepare emergency medical technicians and paramedic students to have fundamental proficiency in providing the highest quality pre-hospital care for critically ill and injured patients. The organization’s continuing education programming and EMS research are to help providers keep pace with the many changes that shape today’s pre-hospital care.