Southwestern Michigan College graduated 19 new nurses from its nursing program last week, including several local students.
December’s class received associate degrees in nursing (ADN) in a pinning ceremony in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus. The class joins the ranks of 3,164 nursing graduates from the college.
“Things this class has gone through as they progressed through this program are plentiful enough to lead to a breaking point,” said Dr. Melissa Kennedy, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Services. “But this class never broke. They persevered and obstacles never blocked their path. They may have had to slow down, but they never stopped. … This class is everything nursing is supposed to be — kind, loving, compassionate, intelligent, advocates, dreamers, students.”
Graduates
- LaSharie Armstrong of Elkhart
- Kasandra Ball of Niles
- Krista Corey of Cassopolis
- Katie Cronkright of Niles
- Jordan Elmblad of Kalamazoo
- Nicole Gibson of Three Oaks
- Victoria Iacovetti of Downers Grove, Ill.
- Nichole Johnson of Cassopolis
- Katelynn Kleckner of Vandalia
- Brittany Morris of Bitely
- Alma Pinon of South Bend
- Jamie Radford of Edwardsburg
- Emily Riley of Buchanan
- Ja’Mia Sanders of Elkhart
- Ana Silguero-Casados of Niles
- Jennifer Smith of Dowagiac
- Alexis Smith-Lane of South Bend
- LeAnna Washington of Niles
- Yvonne Wells of Coloma
“The past 2 ½ years have been challenging for us all,” Kennedy said. “The nursing profession has been strained in terms of patient load, acuity of the patients they’re taking care of, staffing shortages. So many nurses are tired, frustrated and their spirits have been broken. But this class is going to change that Just as they have been lights of support for one another on this journey, they’re going to go out in that big world of health care and make a difference. How do I know that? Because they already are.”
SMC President Dr. Joe Odenwald said both of his grandmothers were nurses, and took great care of him growing up.
“Our nursing students’ stories are special to me,” he said. “You need a nurse coming into this world and you’re going to need one going out.”
Nichole Johnson – pinned by her daughter, Jurnee, a psychiatric nurse who graduated from SMC in December 2018 – was presented a Lamp of Knowledge by Associate Professor Rona Goodrich in recognition of the peer-selected Florence Nightingale Award embodying selflessness, compassion, thoughtfulness, team play, dependability, generosity and humility.
“I thank SMC’s staff and my classmates for their guidance, reassurance and assistance over the last two years,” Johnson said. “Tonight marks the end of a 30-year expedition, and the most difficult experience of my life. After doubting myself for years and listening to destructive voices, I am finally facing my biggest fear. I was always afraid of people saying, ‘Who does she think she is?’ Now I have the courage to say, ‘This is who I am.’ I can and I will, just watch me.”
– Submitted by SMC
