VGCC Pins Largest Class of Nursing Graduates
Vance-Granville Community College recognized a record-high 55 students who graduated this spring from the Associate Degree Nursing program with a pinning ceremony in the college’s Civic Center on May 14.
Among those honored with distinctive nursing pins at the ceremonies were seven who graduated through the LPN to ADN Transition Program , which helps Licensed Practical Nurses to continue their education and then become Registered Nurses. These graduates were Jessica Hope Whitney Reynolds of Franklinton; Ann Jeanette Campbell and Aleshia Ann Condia Long, both of Henderson; William Joseph Currin, Jr. and Claudetta Renell Fields, both of Oxford; Loice Sileylo Mopel of Raleigh; and Jessica Joelle Green of Stem.
The graduates who took courses in the traditional five-semester sequence included Elizabeth Austen Davis and Bani’ci’ Nicosia’ Townsend-Harrison, both of Butner; Mei Li of Cary; Lisa Lynn Schuler of Castalia; Mark Andrew Binion, Crystal Gayle Goss, Esther Wambura Ndwiga and Beverly Gail Ware, all of Creedmoor; Tega Akpede, Ivy Wanjiku Carter, Kathryn Rae Stainback and Paris Ann Lynnette Williamson, all of Durham; Rebecca Kerns Adkins, Rebecca Danielle Reese, Valerie Jane Reid and Roy Allan Robinson, all of Franklinton; Joanna Marie Barrett, Ashley Nicole Junk, Shannon Renee Medlin, Callie Lynn Murphy, Chrissie Smith Riley, Kathy Michelle Slaughter and Deandra Lynnette Young, all of Henderson; Alyssa Michelle Long and Shawn Kelly Wright, both of Kittrell; Michele Alison Phinney of Louisburg; Shannon Rachelle Towns of Macon; William Richard Loyd, Jr. of Norlina; Christopher Todd Brooks, Tracey Lee Carson-Johnson, Ruth Joann Daniel, Rebecca Mary Hillis, John C. Laible, Amanda Kaye McCusker, Jennifer Ann Smith and Latasha Danyell Smith, all of Oxford; Kadiatu Fillie, Daryl Cornelius Mathis, Ashley Elizabeth Reams and Valerie Pauline Zuniga, all of Raleigh; Jordan Lynn Byrd of Stem; Rebekah Ann-Rene’ Hutchison, Sherri Infranco and Jennifer Marie Ring, all of Wake Forest; Amy Marie Clatfelter, Tammy Lynette Evans, Karen Perez Kuryla and Nicholaus Edward Yocum, all of Youngsville.
In welcoming remarks, VGCC Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs Dr. Angela Ballentine congratulated the students on their success, and noted that the college was celebrating the 30th anniversary of the graduation of its first Associate Degree Nursing class. The Class of 1984, she said, consisted of 18 graduates. Ballentine announced that, with 55 students, the Class of 2014 was the largest ADN class in Vance-Granville history. “This class should be celebrated not only for its quantity, but for its quality,” she said. “This is a group that is dedicated to education. Many members of this class already had a bachelor’s degree in one field or another before they entered the Nursing program, and now, many of them are planning to pursue a Bachelor’s degree, and even a Master’s degree in Nursing.”
Class of 2014 vice president Paris Williamson spoke on behalf of her classmates. She thanked VGCC staff and faculty members, as well as the students’ families and friends for their support. “Let us enjoy this overwhelming sense of pride, joy and relief in knowing that we can finally sign our names with an ‘RN,’” Williamson said.
VGCC Nursing department chair Erica Jastrow presented academic honors to graduates who completed the program with at least a 3.5 grade point average: Carter, Davis, Evans, Infranco, Loyd, Reams, Reid, Robinson, Stainback and Carson-Johnson, who had the highest GPA in the class, a perfect 4.0. Jastrow also presented cords to students who chose to participate in the National Student Nurses Association, including Adkins, Binion, Brooks, Byrd, Carson-Johnson, Carter, Clatfelter, Daniel, Davis, Alyssa Long, Loyd, Mathis, McCusker, Schuler, LaTasha Smith, Stainback, Townsend-Harrison and Williamson (who served as chapter president).
The ceremony featured a special musical performance by two members of the class, vocalist Callie Murphy and pianist John Laible.
Instructor Anna Seaman described the significance of the nursing pin. The unique green and gold pin identifies each nurse as a VGCC graduate, and indicates that the graduate has the training and competence to serve as a professional nurse. During the ceremony, graduates were pinned by their loved ones and instructors, and received lamps from instructor Jenny Holloway, while instructor Camella Marcom read their biographies. After all graduates had received pins, the lights in the Civic Center were lowered, and instructor Elizabeth Andre led students in reciting the “Florence Nightingale Pledge” by lamp-light.
Above: Members of the 2014 Associate Degree Nursing class at Vance-Granville Community College who received their nursing pins on May 14 included, on first (front) row, from left, Jennifer Smith, Callie Murphy, Crystal Goss, Jessica Green, Aleshia Long, Paris Williamson, Ashley Reams, LaTasha Smith, Ivy Carter, Tammy Evans, Bani’ci’ Townsend-Harrison, Becky Reese, Sherri Infranco and Mark Binion; second row, from left, DeAndra Young, Jennifer Ring, Roy Robinson, Kadiatu Fillie, Chrissie Riley, Shannon Medlin, Joann Daniel, Kathy Slaughter, Karen Perez Kuryla, Beverly Ware and John Laible; third row, from left, Jeannie Campbell, Valerie Reid, Ashley Junk, Michele Phinney, Amy Clatfelter, Rebekah Hutchison, Beki Adkins, Shawn Wright, Kathryn Stainback and Shannon Towns; fourth row, from left, Jessica Reynolds, Nell Fields, Amanda McCusker, Mei Li, Lisa Schuler, Rebecca Hillis, Daryl Mathis and Elizabeth Davis; fifth row, from left, William Currin, Jordan Byrd, Joanna Barrett, Tracey Carson-Johnson, Alyssa Long, William Loyd, Chris Brooks, Nick Yocum and Valerie Zuniga. (VGCC Photo)
