When Humber College alumnus Michael Sanderson learned he was nominated by the College for the 2023 Premier’s Awards, he felt a rush of emotions.

Sanderson, who graduated from Humber’s Ambulance and Emergency Care program in 1977 and is currently the Chief of Hamilton Paramedic Service, said the other nominees in the Health Sciences category were excellent and completely deserving of the award. However, when his name was announced as the winner, the emotions he had been experiencing intensified as he looked back on his time at Humber.

He remembered his peers in the program – some have retired, others have passed on – and the fantastic and caring professors that supported and encouraged him. He developed the skills and knowledge he needed for the job and Sanderson spoke fondly of how Humber taught him how to learn.

“It was great just to be nominated and it was quite the acknowledgement, but winning felt like I had hit a homerun,” said Sanderson. “It really is a memory that will last forever.”

Making the moment even more special is that Sanderson has joined a select group of winners that includes other paramedic leaders including his good friends and Humber alumni Peter Dundas and Rahul Singh.

“Going through the list of individuals that have come through Humber College and have been the recipient of this award, knowing them and knowing what they've put into the industry and into society in general, just to be recognized on the same level as them was somewhat overwhelming,” he said.

Sanderson’s career has taken him across most of Canada. He’s now in his fifth decade in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and has held a variety of roles including paramedic, educator and leader at the local, provincial, national and international levels. He has served on provincial and national boards and is the President of the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs.  

While executive director at BC Ambulance, he led all EMS activities for the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

“That truly was the highlight of my career,” said Sanderson. “You might get to do that once in your life and lots of people not at all. We made it all work and it was just a super experience.”

Sanderson admitted he wasn’t a particularly engaged student in high school, but when he got to Humber that all changed.

“I discovered I really loved this work and I wanted to learn as much as I could to be the best I could be in my career,” he said. “At Humber, anything less than perfect on an exam wasn’t acceptable.”  

Asked if he had any advice for those considering a career as a paramedic, Sanderson said it’s a tremendous job that allows you to make a difference in the community. There’s opportunity for growth and professional development in the in-demand profession.

“You don’t save lives on every call, but you touch lives on every call,” said Sanderson. “If you’re interested in helping people and your community, it’s a career for you.”

Other Humber alumni to receive Premier’s Awards in recent years include:

Public Relations graduate Carrie Baker (2023)

Primary Care Paramedic program graduate Mark Cameron (2022)

Social Service Worker program graduate Baldev Mutta (2021)

Ambulance and Emergency Care graduate Peter F. Dundas (2019)

Funeral Service Education graduate Allan Cole (2018)

Industrial Design graduate Andrew Bowerbank (2017)

Marketing graduate Ron Suter (2016)

Culinary Management graduate Candice Ekonomakos (2014)

Landscape Technician graduate Peter Van Stralen (2014)

Industrial Design graduate Lee Renshaw (2013)  

Paramedic graduate Rahul Singh (2011)

This year, seven Humber graduates were nominated for a 2023 Premier’s Award.