Northwest Florida State College Holds Nursing Pinning Ceremony
May 9, 2018
NICEVILLE, FL– On May 7, 2018, Northwest Florida State College recognized students who successfully completed the Associate Degree in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs during the Spring 2018 academic semester. The pinning ceremony is a time-honored tradition, which symbolizes the completion of educational requirements that enable students to be eligible to sit for the national board licensure exam. The students were presented pins by loved ones, family and friends. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the students and all nurses in the audience were invited to stand and recite the nursing pledge. The history of this rite of passage can be traced back to the 19th century when Florence Nightingale presented medals for nursing excellence.
The following Associate Degree in Nursing graduates were recognized with special awards: Clinical Excellence in Nursing – Samantha Bergstrom, Megan Doucette, and Shana Marks-Henry; Academic Achievement in Nursing – Nurida Funk; and NSNA Leadership – Samantha Págan. Allyse Bray was recognized for being only one of 22 nursing students across the country to be awarded a Phi Theta Kappa Hurst Review NCLEX Scholarship.
Awards were presented to the following Bachelor of Science in Nursing students: Military Order of the Purple Heart – Leslie N. Deleon, RN, BSN; The Nightingale Heart of Nursing – Ulrike Allen, RN, BSN and Laura Monaghan, RN, BSN; Academic Excellence – Mary Dickerson, RN, BSN.
“We are so delighted for these graduates and know they will go forward to do great things,” said Dr. Devin Stephenson, President. “We at NWF State College take great pride in knowing that we continuously produce outstanding nurses and are a first choice for students hoping to pursue a future in this essential career.”
Spring 2018 Associate of Science Degree in Nursing Graduates: Keith Auclair (Shalimar); Samantha Bergstrom (Navarre); Angela Betts (Miramar Beach); Allyse Bray (Fort Walton Beach); Kimberly Carnley (Destin); Meagan Nichole Clark (Navarre); Nicole Clark (Navarre); Beth Clinton (Navarre); Megan Doucette (Destin); Annmarie Dowden (Niceville); Jami Easley (Niceville); Peyton Grace Eaton (DeFuniak Springs); Sophie Fañas (Crestview); Nurida Kemelbek Funk (Fort Walton Beach); Catherine Gibson (Destin); Laura Hayhurst (Niceville); Levi K. Hecker (Crestview); Andrea Hefner (Crestview); Whitney Leigh Hodges (Fort Walton Beach); Jeni Holland (Crestview); Melissa Killian (Mary Esther); Whitney Lappen (Eglin AFB); Megan Kathleen Lucey (Shalimar); Shana Marks-Henry (Crestview); Amy Martinez Lozano (Fort Walton Beach); Krisztina Matheny (Santa Rosa Beach); Shawn Maxwell (Crestview); Kelly Nowell (Destin); Samantha Pagán (Crestview); Aubrey Parks (Fayetteville, NC); Jaclyn R. Pearson (Niceville); Lisa Rath (Destin); Matthew Reale (Santa Rosa Beach); Caitlin Nicole Riddle (Fort Walton Beach); Truman Rink (Santa Rosa Beach); Jordan Rogers (Destin); Emily Salsgiver (Destin); Frank Soska (Shalimar); Zaira Stanley (Crestview); Zula Swanson (Freeport); Brigitte Unger (Freeport); Amy Vanzo (Destin); Ann Jessica Vogle (Fort Walton Beach); Olivia Waggy (Crestview); Kristen Powell Williams (Niceville); Hannah Wilson (Fort Walton Beach).
Spring 2018 Bachelor of Science in Nursing Graduates: Ulrike K. Allen, RN, BSN (Baker); Nicole M. Blackwell, RN, BSN (Fort Walton Beach); Donna M. Chiavoli, RN, BSN (Rosemary Beach); Leslie N. Deleon, RN, BSN (Crestview); Mary Dickerson, RN, BSN (Petal, MS); Kimberly A. Fisher, RN, BSN (Niceville); Tiffiny R. Krupka, RN, BSN (Fort Walton Beach); Nadia Y. Kurpag-Cordon, RN, BSN (Fort Walton Beach); Susan Mayberry, RN, BSN (Baker); Laura Monaghan, RN, BSN (Fort Walton Beach); Jeremy H. Morris, RN, BSN (Niceville); Carrie Morton, RN, BSN (Niceville); Samantha Newman, RN, BSN (Niceville); Kristelle L. Odom, RN, BSN (Crestview); Sheila Paxton, RN, BSN (Crestview); JoAnna Peets, RN, BSN (Mary Esther); Keshia B. Perry, RN, BSN (Navarre); Andrea R. Price, RN, BSN (Fort Walton Beach); Kaitlin Riddle, RN, BSN (Pace); Pamela M. Ross, RN, BSN (Santa Rosa Beach); Robyn Van Zile, RN, BSN (Fort Walton Beach); Alyssa Williams, RN, BSN (Milton); Laura Williams, RN, BSN (Crestview).