Student zine selected for Institute Library anniversary exhibition
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By Savanna Yelling '25
The American Heart Association and Hartford HealthCare visited Central on May 27 to unveil a new Hands-Only CPR training kiosk in the Student Center.
Located in the lobby next to the Information Desk, the interactive kiosk provides a self-guided five-minute training experience that teaches the fundamentals of Hands-Only CPR through a video tutorial, practice session, and skills assessment.
The unveiling brought together university officials, healthcare leaders, and members of the campus community to highlight the importance of CPR preparedness.
“This kiosk matters because it places life-saving knowledge in a highly visible and accessible campus location where hundreds of students, staff and visitors will pass through,” said Dr. Joanne Leon, interim associate vice president of the Office of Campus and Community Engagement.
Central President Dr. Zulma R. Toro said the kiosk reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to campus health and safety.
“Today marks an important step forward in Central’s commitment to health and safety, and I am grateful you are here to share it with us,” Toro said.
The kiosk is the first of its kind in the Northeast region and is part of a broader effort to increase CPR awareness throughout the state.
“Our CPR mobile kiosk … is part of our commitment to create a nation of lifesavers where all of us, one in every household, one in every community, have the skills and confidence to perform CPR when needed,” said Lynette Coleman, vice president of community impact for the American Heart Association.
The event also featured Central alumnus Jio Rodriguez ’24, who survived a cardiac arrest while playing basketball at the university’s recreation center in February 2024. During the kiosk unveiling event, Rodriguez reunited with the Central Police Department officers whose quick response helped save his life.
“Thankfully I had the help of some tremendous officers to provide me CPR and AED assistance, which in just split moments changed my life,” Rodriguez said.
Hartford HealthCare officials said the kiosk is part of a larger initiative to boost bystander CPR rates across the state.
“Connecticut has one of the lowest bystander CPR rates in the country, and we wanted to improve that, so we are bringing the CPR kiosk to our communities throughout Connecticut. In the past two years, over 9,000 people have engaged with this kiosk,” said Carolyn Martindale, director of Heart and Vascular Specialty Programs for Hartford HealthCare.
According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals annually, with more than 20 percent occurring in public settings such as schools and sports facilities. The new kiosk is expected to help increase awareness of Hands-Only CPR and equip people with the confidence to respond in an emergency.
“Three months after I suffered from my cardiac arrest, I got to walk the stage with a new heart … with a new life,” Rodriguez said.
Sponsored locally by Hartford HealthCare, the kiosk is available to all members of the campus community and visitors and is located in the Student Center lobby.