NEWS

Gastonia fire official receives education award

Adam Lawson
alawason@gastongazette.com
Deputy Chief Mark Rutherford 

[Gastonia Fire Department/Special To The Gazette]

A longtime Gastonia fire official has been honored for his pursuit at continuing education.

Mark Rutherford recently completed his bachelor's degree in fire and emergency services from Fayetteville State University.

In between shifts as a deputy fire chief at the department's North Myrtle School Road headquarters, he managed to record a 3.92 GPA through the school's online program.

"It's really time-consuming, spending about every evening sitting at the computer," Rutherford said. "It was writing a lot of papers. Discussion boards and papers."

Shortly upon completing the program, Rutherford received an email informing him he'd received the school's Dr. Booker Juma Fire Leadership Award.

Named for the university's former chair of chemistry and physics, the award honors a student each year who "exemplifies leadership and professionalism in the community."

Rutherford earned his associate degree from Gaston College in 1997. Promoted to deputy chief in 2017, he was given two years to earn the bachelor degree the department requires from the position.

Rutherford credited his 28 years serving Gastonia for helping him excel in the program.

"Education is like oregano," Rutherford said. "It has to be mixed with a whole lot of other things to be good. There wasn't anything in there that was Earth-shattering to me. I read that in a trade magazine or I read that in book prior to this program."

Rutherford said he took 15 classes in the program, and made an "A" in all but one of them.

He said he was "blown away" to receive the award.

You can reach Adam Lawson at 704-869-1842 or on Twitter @GazetteLawson.