St. Johns River Community College reported to Historic City News that they recently held a pinning ceremony to recognize the graduating students in the Associate of Science in Nursing program.
The pinning ceremony symbolized the “rite of passage into the nursing profession,” said Anna Lebesch, M.Ed., SJRCC’s vice president for workforce development. The pin is a reminder to the 48 graduates of their purpose to serve the sick and infirmed.
Lebesch described the pinning and lighting ceremony as the symbol of the care and devotion nurses provide. The ceremony is also a continued tradition of Florence Nightingale’s extended honor to her most outstanding nurses.
In addition to the ceremony, students were recognized for special achievements throughout their two-year program. Special awards went to Kimberly Brooks for the Dean’s Award and Traci Gillard for Outstanding Student of the Year. Suzanne Soupene received the Academic Excellence and Florence Nightingale awards.
Students were pinned by family members and then proceeded to light their lamps. This tradition serves as an icon in nursing from Florence Nightingale, who is known as the founder of modern-day nursing. In the 1800s, Nightingale was known as the “lady with the lamp,” tending to the sick while carrying a lamp to light the way. The ceremony was held at the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts located on the Orange Park Campus.
The following students are from St. Johns County: Mandi Anderson, Angela Antwine, Katherine Conway, Autumn Foster, Renee Murphy, Simone Reyes, Teresa Risch and Kimberley Stowe.
The following students are from Clay County: Jason Andrews, Carrie Balsinger, Kimberly Brooks, Eileen Brown, Victoria Divino, Cathy Eldridge, Julie Frady, Michole Fredericks, Rob Freve, Traci Gillard, Angelia Goodell, Shelli Hawkins, Jacqueline Johnson, Shelley LaPland, Michelle Lim, Erika Martinez, Cherie McClanahan, Meghan Montgomery, Yukiko Ouellette, Karen Papworth, Nyra Sheehy, Richard Smith III, Suzanne Soupene, Marinda Stacy, Wendy Walker, Nakkia Williams and Andrew Woodham.
The following students are from Putnam County: Casey Hardy, Wilfredo Luna, Florence Christine McColm, Chelsea Rasmussen and Devonia Wright.
The following students are from Duval County: Erica Baity, Christopher Butler, Taniko Hampton, Linda Heilman, Joy Herring, Lisa King, Sabrina Long and Exylena Williams.
The following student is from Bradford County: Amanda Morgan.
SJRCC offers additional health programs such as respiratory care, nursing assistant, health information management and radiologic technology. For more information on degree and certificate programs in the health field, call (386) 312-4176.
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