05/13/17 — Class of 2017: Largest Wayne Community College class of graduating nurses gets pinned

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Class of 2017: Largest Wayne Community College class of graduating nurses gets pinned

By From staff reports
Published in News on May 13, 2017 11:38 PM

Twenty-seven members of the associate degree nursing class of 2017 at Wayne Community College were recognized during a formal pinning ceremony this week.

The annual service, which includes presentation of nursing pins and nurse's creed scrolls by the faculty of the program, lighting of lamps -- representing famous nurse Florence Nightingale going into the battlefield with a lantern -- and recitation of the "Florence Nightingale Pledge." The ceremonies signals the end of the graduates' academic journey and entry into professional life.

The pin used in the ceremony was designed and used by the first graduates of the program in 1973 and uniquely represents the nursing school. It symbolically welcomes the graduates into the nursing profession.

The graduates can begin work as registered nurses after they take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination, officials said.

This year's graduates include Krystal Artis-Jones, Elizabeth Baltazar, Zachary Benson, Bridget Cisneros, Savannah Conley, Keri Daly, Christopher Easom, Chelsey Edmundson, Robert Franks, Brianna Gold, Katie Harris, Emily Heeren, Courtney Jones, Amanda Kelly, Tiara King, Chassidy Lee, Kevin Lee, Denise Locust, Emily Malpass, Ashley Martinez, Siria Mendoza, Paige Morning, Oratai Painter, Alexandra Rivera, Jamie Stephens, Lindsay Wheeler and Monikqua White.

Three outstanding graduates were announced.

Ms. King was presented the Theoretical Excellence Award for high academic standards. She maintained the highest grade-point average amid the challenging curriculum, said Sue Beaman, chairman of the nursing department.

The Clinical Excellence Award went to Ms. Malpass, for achieving high standards in the clinical component of the curriculum. In evaluating her, faculty and nursing staff agreed that Ms. Malpass is professional and dependable but also "humble and eager to learn," Mrs. Beaman said.

Ms. Morning received the Outstanding Student Award for the individual who demonstrated high achievement in both the academic and clinical components of the program as well as participated in class and professional activities. She was credited with being very dedicated and consistently performing above the standard.

The winners received plaques and monetary awards provided by the Foundation of Wayne Community College.

Addressing her classmates, Ms. Kelly said that while they would be going in many directions -- from flight nurses to oncology nurses, doctor's offices to emergency rooms -- regardless of their specialty, they all shared a common goal of helping others.

Wayne Community College's Associate Degree Nursing Program is a limited-admission, five-semester program that prepares students to practice as registered nurses. It is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing Inc.