Class of 2021 Nursing students attend virtual pinning ceremony
The 2021 candidates for graduation from the Nursing program participated in a virtual pinning ceremony on May 6.
The program included the recognition of candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and the recognition of Nursing Award recipients.
Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences Kimberley Priode opened the ceremony by welcoming the guests.
“These unprecedented times will become only one feather to place in your hat as an experience done,” she told the students. “We as nurses and future nurses anticipate that our society will experience further health challenges in the years to come. Think of this day as the beginning of your commitment and dedication to life-long learning. You will be representing our nursing school as a distinguished professional nurse.”
The Nursing Faculty Award for the BSN program was given to Mallory Myers. Stephanie Cobb received the RN-BSN Nursing Faculty Award. Sabrina Patterson, a student in the RN-BSN program, was the online degree program recipient of the H.C. Evans, Jr. Fidelity Award. Two Evans Awards are bestowed every year on a main campus student and a distance learning/online student.
The Nursing faculty and staff put together a video in advance to showcase all the candidates for graduation. Each student was shown wearing the symbolic white coat of the medical profession.
The graduating BSN students recognized during the ceremony were Savanna Powell (RIBN); Stephanie Church, Sabrina Patterson, Stephanie Cobb, Danielle Pennell, Mark Klein, Jennifer Reynolds (RN-BSN); Katie Allred, Kaitlyn Lysaght, Mollie Barlow, Kyndra Martin-Cobb, Ava Bethea, Cassie McFayden, Allison Brown, Debra McGlamery, Macy Carswell Tallent, Mallory Myers, Mikki Davis Victoria Scanlon, Bridget Elliott, Abigail Smith, Sarah Giarrusso, Katherine Bailey Snell, Peyton Henson, Megan Sweeting, Taylor Honeycutt, Marjorie White (Pre-licensure BSN).
Evelyn Brewer, director of the Pre-licensure Nursing program, then led the prospective nurses in repeating the nurses’ pledge. The pledge affirms the importance of caring for a patient’s overall health and the responsibility of a nurse to maintain confidentiality and not discriminate.
A few students expressed their gratitude for the Nursing program. Mikki Davis thanked the faculty for their support throughout a difficult curriculum, and Ava Bethea and Mallory Myers were appreciative that the program allowed them to complete the program while competing as student-athletes.
“I was turned away by a lot of schools because of how hard it is to do both, but I’m very blessed to be able to graduate with my BSN and play four years of collegiate softball,” Myers said.
Fabienne Dellinger, the coordinator of clinical compliance and student advisement, shared how proud she was of the students for growing from “little timid nursing students” to confident and capable almost-nurses. “You can do whatever your mind is set to,” she said. “Take your dreams and push them to the limit.”
The faculty presented a video made up of submitted clips of the students having fun and laughing together. When it ended, Brewer reminded the graduate candidates that while the video made it look like the program was all levity, the work was usually difficult and draining.
“But,” she said, “sometimes the only way you get through the hard times is with the support of your friends and by laughing when you can. Every chance you get, laugh, enjoy, work with one another, and remember you’re going into a field where you’ll be making the biggest difference in people’s lives.”
Priode ended the ceremony by again expressing pride in the students and reminding them to study carefully for the upcoming National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.
