Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) held its nursing pinning ceremony for May nursing graduates.
Marcia Miller, Ph.D., RN, dean of the Division of Arts and Sciences, addressed the nursing graduates.
“We are here to honor and celebrate our nursing graduates’ dedication and accomplishments,” she said. “We are pleased to have these nursing graduates and their loved ones here tonight to recognize the completion of their Bachelor of Science in Nursing education.”
Awards were also presented during the ceremony. Paramedic Science to Bachelor of Science Nursing (PM-BSN) program awards were presented to: Courtney Szubinski for the Excellence in Nursing Scholarship Award; Kayla Richards for the Service Award; Kylin Warbelow for the Excellence in Clinical Award; and Angela Niemi received the Excellence in Leadership Award.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing awards were presented to: Katelynn Braun for the Nursing Excellence in Leadership Award; Evan Adams for the Nursing Excellence in Clinical Award; Molly Coomer for the Nursing Excellence in Service Award; and Susan Edwards received the Nursing Excellence in Scholarship Award.
Student speakers were Katie King, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing student from Terre Haute, and Emmy Sorrels, a Woods Online student in the PM-BSN program.
“Not long ago, many of us walked into nursing school thinking we had a pretty good idea of what we were signing up for. We knew there would be studying, clinicals and maybe a few stressful exams,” King said. “What we didn’t realize was nursing school would slowly become our entire personality. Suddenly, every conversation revolved around care plans, pathophysiology and whether we had enough caffeine to survive the week. We learned to calculate medication dosages faster than we could calculate how much sleep we were actually getting, which, if we’re being honest, was usually not enough. But the truth is, nursing school has shaped us in ways we never expected.”
Sorrels added welcomed advice for students new to the nursing field.
“To the ones who are stepping into nursing as your very first career, fresh out of college, full of energy, and probably still able to function on a normal circadian rhythm, you’re about to enter a world that is challenging, unpredictable, exhausting and unbelievably meaningful. So, in the words of Monica from ‘Friends’: Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You’re going to love it,” she said. “You bring a different kind of strength than we do. A fresh perspective, a clean slate and a passion that reminds the rest of us why we chose this path in the first place. No matter where you go or what specialty you choose, your work will matter. You will make a difference.”
Crystal White, DNP, FNP-C, RN, the FNP program director, individually blessed each graduate’s hands before the pinning. For the pinning, conducted by Christine Delnat, Ph.D., RN, and Jackie Martin, DNP, RN, CEN, AGCNS-BC, each recipient was called to receive their pin from a family member, friend, mentor or nursing faculty member. The pin features a lamp, symbolizing the lit lamp Florence Nightingale used while caring for injured soldiers during the Crimean War. It reinforces the meaning of nursing with care and hope. Both the nursing pin and the ceremonial pinning tradition date back to the late 1800s.
May PM-BSN graduates include:
- Chad Burroughs
- William “Scott” Clark
- Austin Embry
- Evan Fogle
- Julia Hoopingarner Fulk
- Shane Husband
- Olivia Duvall Jackson
- Brian Jones
- Alexandra Knapp
- Michael Lowe
- Angela Niemi
- Brian Owens
- Chelsea Putnam
- David Reyes
- Kayla Richards
- Angie Ropicky Nygard
- Emmy Sorrels
- Courtney Szubinski
- Richard “Rick” Wallis
- Kylin Warbelow
- Tonya Wiebe
May BSN graduates include:
- Evan Adams
- Madison Baumunk
- Emma Booher
- Katelynn Braun
- Brailey Cleeton
- Molly Coomer
- Abbi Croy
- Riley Dierdorf
- Susan Edwards
- Chloe Field
- Sarah Forsythe
- Lauren Frye
- Sophia “Sophie” Henderson
- Katie King
- Jasmine Kinzer
- Makenzee Legg
- Emma Norman
- Savannah Prater
- Alyssa Reed
- Brooklyn Riley
- Slinker Deanna Smith
- Darren Suits
- Emma Tommey
- Randi Ulrich
- Madilyn “Madi” Unger
- Cara Varvel