SJRCC PRESS RELEASE August 2007 SJRCC holds nursing pinning ceremony St. Johns River Community College recently held a pinning ceremony to recognize the Associate in Science in Nursing students. The pinning ceremony symbolized the "rite of passage into the nursing profession," said Virginia McColm, SJRCC's dean of nursing. The pin is a reminder to the 33 graduates of their purpose to serve the sick and infirmed. McColm described the pinning and lighting ceremony as the symbol of the care and devotion nurses provide. The ceremony is also a continued tradition of Florence Nightingale's extended honor to her most outstanding nurses. In addition to the ceremony, students were recognized for special achievements throughout their two-year program. Special awards went to Sheri Shaub as the Ihsan Fahri Scholarship Award winner, Leslie Sharpe for Outstanding Student of the Year, Sally Vermeulen for the Academic Excellence Award, Sue Joyner and Lisa Wood for the C.A.R.E. Award, Michelle Cox for the Community Leadership Award, Centa Houldson for the Florence Nightingale Award, Kelly Frauenfelder for the Dean's Award, Christa Rothe for the Student Nurses' Association scholarship and Billie Blake for Outstanding Instructor of the Year. Students were pinned by family members and then proceeded to light their lamps. This tradition serves as an icon in nursing from Florence Nightingale, who is known as the founder of modern-day nursing. In the 1800s, Nightingale was known as the "lady with the lamp," tending to the sick while carrying a lamp to light the way. The ceremony was held at the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts located on the Orange Park Campus. The following students are from Clay County: Lisa Allen, Kristin Coon, Kimberly Cottrill, Kimberly David, Jill Dean, Angela Dunlap, Maureen Hamilton, Heather Hamlett, Jodi Hernandez, Centa Houldson, Kristi Huey, Sue Joyner, Anne Langley, Arretta Roberts, Nicole Runnels, Veronica Wilson and Lisa Wood. The following students are from St. Johns County: Mac Burns, Michelle Cox, Diane Crooks, Kelly Frauenfelder, Stacie Hutchinson, Denette Jett, Pamela Niland, Amanda Sharpe, Abbie Smith and Sally Vermeulen. The following students are from Duval County: Lori Butler, Carolyn Denise Griffin, Becky Peterson, Leslie Sharpe and Malisa Taing. The following student is from Flagler County: Camelia Crawford The guest speaker was Nancy Simon, RN, CNAA, BC, FACHE, chief nursing officer for the Orange Park Medical Center. SJRCC's nursing program is offered in Palatka and Orange Park. SJRCC offers additional health programs such as respiratory care, nursing assistant, medical encoder, health information management and radiologic technology. For more information on degree programs in the health field call (386) 312-4176. Return to SJRCC home page.