30 Nursing Graduates Get Pins In Ceremonies at VGCC
Beth Phillips, the former nursing program director at Vance-Granville Community College, returned to the school May 11 to deliver the address to 30 Associate Degree Nursing graduates at their pinning ceremonies.
Receiving their nursing pins, distinctive to the VGCC program, at the ceremonies were: Daryl W. Atkinson, Carol Elaine Bartlett, Stephanie Lynn Black, Barbara Holmes Fuller, Alvin D. Green, Heather Nicole Parrish and Earsala Royster Sidney of Henderson, Barbara Jean Sanford of Kittrell, April Jessica Culbreth, April Sanford Preddy, Jill Everette Privette, Sekeithia Tyler Speed and Dana Marie Wainwright of Oxford, Alicia Dawn Chabala of Creedmoor, Tish Morgan Thompson of Stem, Robin Renee Carswell, Christel Mae Reams and Jason C. Strother of Louisburg, William A. Godwin, Yvonne Pearce Lane, Kimberly Fogg Pender and Jessica Lynn Seabrooks of Franklinton, Kelly Mattox Stougaard of Youngsville, April Walker Pernell of Warrenton, Kimberly Nicole Sook of Wake Forest, Shawn Evans Barnes of Garner, Amber Crystal Gouge and Angela Nicole Sturges of Raleigh, Katrina Vaughan of Morrisville, and Kimberly King Burchette of Hillsborough. Pamela Lynne Schmierer of Wake Forest, who graduated with the class May 12, was unable to attend the ceremony.
Beth Phillips headed the nursing program in fall 2004 when the class began its training before she left in 2005 to take a nursing instructor job at Duke University. She recalled the family atmosphere that exists among the faculty, administration, staff and students at VGCC, and she said she really misses that connection.
In her remarks, Phillips said she believed each of the graduates have been through a life-changing experience over the last few years. “The profession of nursing forces us to look at ourselves and those around us in a very different way,” she said.
Phillips talked about the great advances in technology that have forced nurses to adapt to many changes over the years. “My students at Duke do not submit weekly journals and care plans to us on paper, but rather they beam it to us with their PDAs. Technology is amazing,” she said. “Be prepared for it.”
As her present to the graduating nurses, Phillips offered them five “virtual gifts.” The first was faith, the second a positive attitude, the third humility, the fourth emotional and physical health, and the fifth was a support network at work and at home.
VGCC President Randy Parker welcomed the visitors to the ceremony and commended the graduates on completing one of the college’s most difficult curriculum programs. He also shared some statistics about the graduating class: their ages range from 20 to 61, they have a total of 40 children with one student having seven, one has a grandchild, two are former licensed practical nurses who returned to get a higher degree, and three came through the evening/weekend class the college began in 2004.
Academic awards were presented to eight graduates who completed the program with “A” averages. They are Daryl Atkinson, Carol Bartlett, Robin Carswell, April Culbreth, Yvonne Lane, Jason Strother, Angela Sturges and Dana Wainwright. Lane was recognized for having the highest GPA of the group.
After the pinning of the “superheroes,” as instructor Beverly Hudgins called the graduates, the lights in the Civic Center were lowered, and they recited the International Council of Nurse’s Pledge to the light of “Clara Barton” lamps.
PINNED NURSES
– Members of the Associate Degree Nursing program at Vance-Granville Community College who received their nursing pins in ceremonies May 11 are, front, from left: Robin Renee Carswell, Amber Crystal Gouge, Carol Elaine Bartlett, Earsala Royster Sidney, Jill Everette Privette, Heather Nicole Parrish, April Jessica Culbreth, April Sanford Preddy, Dana Marie Wainwright; second row, from left: Angela Nicole Sturges, Kimberly King Burchette, Alicia Dawn Chabala, April Walker Pernell, Kimberly Nicole Sook, Kelly Mattox Stougaard, Sekeithia Tyler Speed, Barbara Jean Sanford; third row, from left: Shawn Evans Barnes, Christel Mae Reams, Katrina Vaughan, Kimberly Fogg Pender, Jessica Lynn Seabrooks, Barbara Holmes Fuller, Jason C. Strother, Tish Morgan Thompson; back row, from left: Stephanie Lynn Black, Yvonne Pearce Lane, William A. Godwin, Daryl W. Atkinson, Alvin D. Green.
(VGCC Photo)
