VGCC Pins Nursing Graduates


Members of the 2012 Associate Degree Nursing class at Vance-Granville Community College who received their nursing pins on May 9 included, seated in front, from left: Diana Waddle, Michael Yauchzee, Chasity Harrison, Mallory Halsey, Ileen Johnson, Alicia Robinson, Brooke Cleaton, Dani Burton, Tina Ohuche, Russell Ventenilla, Kailyn Reams and Ashley J. Loyd; standing in middle row, from left: Renee Sanford, Crystal Church, Keisha Cheatham, Jelessia Marshall, Hana Meyer, Kimberly McClure, Rebecca Miller, Ousman Jassey, Cristiano Mondello, Sarah Fisher, Candis Carter, Jon Baumgardner, Brooke Darnell, Cynthia Kiger, Sherry Moss, Caroline Sawyer and George Gikera; standing in top row, from left: Leisa McCright, Christina Shearin, Angel Yauchzee, Jennifer Apple, Gregory Miller, Ashley M. Loyd, Amanda Moody, Syreeta Latta, Helen Samuel, Lauren Johnson, Renee Connelly, Stacy Lewis, Chandra Seward and Felicia Tapp. (VGCC Photo)

Vance-Granville Community College recognized 43 students who graduated this spring from the Associate Degree Nursing program with a pinning ceremony in the college’s Civic Center on May 9.

Among those honored with distinctive nursing pins at the ceremonies were six who graduated through the LPN to ADN Completion Program, or “transition program,” which helps Licensed Practical Nurses to continue their education with the Associate Degree Nursing program and then become Registered Nurses. These graduates were George Gikera of Durham; Crystal Church and Renee Sanford, both of Henderson; Leisa McCright of Knightdale; Felicia Tapp of Oxford; and Christina Shearin of Warrenton. The graduates who took courses in the traditional five-semester sequence included Jelessia Marshall of Butner; Angel Yauchzee and Michael Yauchzee, both of Creedmoor; Jennifer C. Apple, Dani Burton, Hana S. Meyer, Russell Ventenilla, Brooke Cleaton, Ileen Johnson, Ashley M. Loyd, Gregory Miller, Sherry Moss, Kailyn Reams and Alicia C. Robinson, all of Henderson; Sarah Fisher and Caroline Sawyer, both of Louisburg; Chandra L. Seward of Manson; Keisha D. Cheatham of Middleburg; Candis Carter of Norlina; Jon Baumgardner, Ousman P. Jassey, Syreeta N. Latta, Stacy Y. Lewis, Ashley J. Loyd and Helen Samuel, all of Oxford; Mallory Halsey, Cristiano Mondello and Tina N. Ohuche, all of Raleigh; Amanda L. Moody of Townsville; Chasity Harrison, Lauren Johnson, Cynthia Kiger and Kimberly K. McClure, all of Wake Forest; Rebecca A. Miller of Warrenton; Renee Connelly, Brooke Darnell and Diana Waddle, all of Youngsville.

In welcoming remarks, VGCC President Stelfanie Williams congratulated members of the graduating class. “You are on your way to serving as an RN, and even though that stands for ‘Registered Nurse,’ tonight it might also stand for ‘Ready Now!’” the president said. “I know each of you are ready — you are prepared with the skills you need to serve in your profession well, you are ready to apply what you learned to your patients, and you’re ready now to be all that you dreamed of — to serve and help save lives. All of us at VGCC are so proud of you and we are happy to have been a part of your preparation.”

After Williams’s remarks, 2012 class president Amanda Moody spoke on behalf of her classmates. She thanked the faculty members, as well as the students’ families and friends for their support. Class vice president Angel Yauchzee announced that as a gift to the college, the class had made a donation in VGCC’s name to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina.

Erica Jastrow, director of Vance-Granville’s Nursing programs, presented academic awards to graduates who completed the program with at least a 3.5 grade point average: Connelly, Reams, Sanford, Seward, Ventenilla, Michael Ya uchzee and Meyer, 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 Apple, Carter, Cleaton, Darnell, Halsey, Harrison, Ileen Johnson, Lauren Johnson, Kiger, Latta, McClure, Meyer, Rebecca Miller, Moody, Moss, Reams, Robinson, Samuel, Sawyer, Seward, Angel Yauchzee and Michael Yauchzee.

Instructor Holly Cathcart 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. Instructors Jenny Holloway, Maria Orsini and Leo Yurek placed the pin on each graduate while instructor Camella Marcom read their biographies. After all graduates had received pins, the lights in the Civic Center were lowered, and instructor Anna Seaman led students in reciting the “Florence Nightingale Pledge” by lamp-light.