Seventeen honored at VGCC Medical Assisting Pinning
Vance-Granville Community College held a pinning ceremony for its 2010 Medical Assisting program graduates on Aug. 5 at the college’s Franklin County Campus in Louisburg, where the program is conducted. As VGCC’s program is nationally accredited, graduates are now eligible to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants’ (AAMA) certification examination to become Certified Medical Assistants.
The 17 graduates were Lorenza Hicks of Bullock; Kim Perry of Creedmoor; Robin Darone, Ashley Gupton and Tamara Lawler, all of Franklinton; Sandie Reams of Henderson; Donna Richardson of Hollister; Jessica Gupton, Shannon Harris, Toni May and Erica Moody-King, all of Louisburg; Norma Jean Martin of Pearce’s Community; Nicole Hinsley and Jennifer Nelson, both of Wake Forest; Barbara Bunn, Stephanie Kelly and Dot Wiggins, all of Youngsville.
Instructor/Certified Medical Assistant Patrice Allen served as the mistress of ceremonies. Franklin County Campus Dean Bobbie Jo May welcomed and congratulated students and their families who had gathered to celebrate the graduates’ success.
Ninth District Court Judge Quon Bridges was the guest speaker. His career has included service in private practice, as a public defender and as a prosecutor. Bridges has served as a judge since 2007 and won the 2008 election to retain his seat. Active in the community, he is also a former City Commissioner for the City of Oxford and has mentored students in the VGCC male mentoring program. In his remarks, Judge Bridges noted the important work that graduates would be doing with patients, and said that their opportunities would be many and varied. Medical Assisting graduates have found jobs in physicians’ offices, health maintenance organizations, health departments and hospitals. “You are to be proud of what you have accomplished, but you are just beginning,” the judge said. “You’ve harvested the crops, and now you’ve got to take them to the market. I’m excited about your future, and I know you will do things that make us all proud.”
Each graduate received a pin from program head Tammy Johnson-Leach, signifying that each had successfully completed the course of study and had the skills and knowledge to practice the Medical Assisting profession. The students lit candles and recited the creed of the American Association of Medical Assistants. VGCC President Randy Parker rounded out the ceremony with concluding remarks. With their one-year diplomas in hand, many graduates indicated that they intend to continue their education to complete the two-year associate degree in Medical Assisting.
For more information about Medical Assisting , call the Franklin Campus at (919) 496-1567.
Above: Seated, from left: Toni May, Jessica Gupton, Nicole Hinsley, Tamara Lawler, Lorenza Hicks, Donna Richardson, Sandra Reams and Jennifer Nelson; standing, from left: Medical Assisting program head Tammy Johnson-Leach, Barbara Bunn, Dorothy Wiggins, Erica Moody-King, Stephanie Kelly, Norma Jean Martin, Ashley Gupton, Shannon Harris, Robin Darone, Kimberly Perry and Medical Assisting instructor Patrice Allen. (VGCC photo)
