Jesse Valdez
EKU Safety Leadership and Management StudentThe advisors, administrator, and instructors at EKU are compassionate, empathetic, and available to meet the educational needs of all students when necessary.
School of Safety, Security & Emergency Management
College of Justice, Safety & Military Science
School of Safety, Security & Emergency Management
College of Justice, Safety & Military Science
Preparing the Safety Professionals of Tomorrow
Since its inception in the early 1970s, the programs in EKU’s School of Safety, Security, and Emergency Management (SSEM) have been the first choice for students from across the nation and around the globe to prepare them for professional positions as safety managers, fire professionals, paramedics, and a wide variety of homeland security and emergency management positions. As a student, you will have access to respected faculty and top-notch facilities that will help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to succeed. Regardless of the field you choose, you will be poised to take on the safety and security challenges of tomorrow.
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School of Safety, Security & Emergency Management Degrees & Certificates
Undergraduate Paramedicine/EMC Programs
Undergraduate Fire Science Programs
Undergraduate Safety & Emergency Management Programs
3 + 2 Programs
graduate Programs
Why Study Safety, Security, and Emergency Management?
The need for trained professionals to respond to and recover from man-made and natural disasters continues to rise. As new threats emerge in the 21st century, careers that focus on ensuring safety and protecting people from harm will continue to advance and evolve to meet the moment. The field of SSEM is diverse, containing careers from fire safety to counterterrorism, which means there are many different ways to contribute based on your interests and skills.
Student Stories & Features
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Fall 2025 Graduation
December 4, 2025 at – December 5, 2025 at 
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12
Provost's Leadership Institute
February 12, 2026 at – February 13, 2026 at
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19
High School Honor Band Festival
February 19, 2026 – February 21, 2026
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News & Updates
Mining for Knowledge: EKU Student Turns Real-World Experience into Safer Workplaces
After nearly two decades of working in coal mines, Joshua Vereen knows the meaning of hard work. As an online student at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), he’s turning that experience into leadership, helping shape safer workplaces for the next generation of miners. “The coal mining industry has long been a part of Appalachia’s economy, and […]
‘Go Here, Go Anywhere’: Fire Engineering Takes EKU Grad Around the World and Back
As a kid, Tony Cole, ’93, never imagined his dream of becoming a firefighter would lead him to Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), then across the world meeting foreign dignitaries as a fire protection engineer for Saudi Aramco, and now operating a fire protection firm in Lexington. When Cole graduated high school in the late 1980s, […]
Igniting a Career: Fire and Arson Student Interns with National Park Service
Towering red rock arches, sweeping canyons and century-old dwellings set the stage for Rachel Dickey’s summer adventure. The Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation student interned with the National Park Service (NPS), gaining hands-on experience while helping protect the iconic landscapes of Arches, Canyonlands, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges National Parks and Monuments […]
Contact Information
School of Safety, Security & Emergency Management
Stratton Building
Room 245
4453 Kit Carson Drive
Richmond, Ky 40475
859-622-1978
jus.dean@eku.edu