SCC pins 10 new practical nurses at annual pinning ceremony
Southeastern Community College’s Nursing and Healthcare Training program pinned 10 new practical nurses in the SCC auditorium on Dec. 11. With a pin in possession, all 10 students are eligible to take the NCLEX to become a licensed practical nurse.
Class Vice President Peter Campbell welcomed the audience to the ceremony with words of hope and success for his classmates. He said that his class understands the importance of their role to listen, heal and help as practical nurses.
“Nothing worth having comes easy,” said Class President Darian Ekwunoh to the audience. “That’s one thing we’ve learned while in nursing school.”
Ekwunoh explained that her class survived early morning and late night studying, clinicals that tested their strength and endurance, exams, skills and the chaos pushing through all of it together. She thanked her instructors for teaching the class how to think critically, act with compassion and embrace the responsibility that comes with caring for others.
“To my classmates, you all are the strongest, most resilient and caring people I have ever met,” Ekwunoh said. “I have grown to love each and every one of you. We walked into this program as individuals with sharing laughs, tears, failures and success, and we built a bond that only people going through this program can understand.”
Jessica Hill, Dean of Nursing and Healthcare Training, recognized Maliya Broome with the Student Achievement Award for having the highest grade point average of the class.
Joining Broome, Campbell and Ekwunoh on stage were classmates Lace Bailey, Vanessa Pineda, Maria Georgakopoulos, Sophie McPherson, Alexia Powell, Brittney Smith-Cherry and Samantha Strange. Broome, Campbell, Pineda and Strange were denoted as obtaining a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Director of Nursing Tammy Faulk pinned and hugged each graduate before they received a pin, lamp and rose. Nursing instructor Crystal Best led the class through reciting the Florence Nightingale Pledge as they made their promise to serve with compassionate care, integrity and lifelong dedication to the profession.
SCC President Dr. Chris English closed out the ceremony with thanking the SCC Board of Trustees for their support and leadership of the college, the nursing instructors for giving the students the best education possible and the audience for encouraging and supporting the students on stage.
“Today marks not just the culmination of your rigorous academic journey but also the beginning of a noble and impactful career in the field of healthcare,” English said. “Your dedication, resilience and compassion have brought you to this significant moment.”
Interested in becoming a licensed practical nurse at SCC? Contact Renee Long at 910-788-6241 or Tammy Faulk at 910-788- 6288 to learn more about registration and classes.
