Fifty-four Associate Degree Nursing students cross stage at Pinning Ceremony

INA, Ill. (May 15, 2015) - Rend Lake College Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) students celebrated their successful journeys through the program during the annual Pinning Ceremony, held last night in Waugh Gymnasium. A total of 54 students graduated from the ADN program.

ADN graduate Hannah Moore (Benton) is pinned by Nursing Instructor Angela Ellis at the annual Pinning Ceremony held last night in the RLC gymnasium. Moore was one of 54 program graduates. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

To view more photos of the event, visit out Flickr account at www.flickr.com/photos/rendlakecollege.

During the ceremony, Melisa Berendson, RLC Director of Nursing, congratulated the students on a job well done and encouraged them to continue growing in the future.

“Tonight is about recognizing our students and the achievement of what they’ve accomplished over the last two years,” said Berendson. “This is just the beginning for you and there are so many different avenues you can take. I applaud you for your dedication.”

Class speaker Kendra George (Tamaroa) also added a word of congratulations, not only to her classmates, but also to the friends, family, and RLC faculty who helped along the way.

Kendra George addresses the audience and ADN program grads during her speech during the Pinning Ceremony. George was the student-elected speaker at the event. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

“Our ADN degrees are a great foundation for us and I hope we always continue to strive for something better,” said George. “To the RLC faculty, we couldn’t have done this without you. Our success is your success as well. To our families and friends, it takes a lot of love and understanding to support a nursing student, and we won’t forget who helped bring us here. To my fellow graduates, I challenge you not to stop here, but to be something exceptional. Let’s go be extraordinary.”

The evening’s prayer was given by graduate Callie Webb (Dahlgren). RLC ADN Professor Kristin Yosanovich ended the ceremony by leading the Nightingale Pledge with the graduates.

The ADN graduates recite the Nightingale Pledge at the end of the Pinning Ceremony. The pledge is named after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, and is a statement of the ethics and principles of the nursing profession. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

The students who graduated from the ADN program are, in alphabetical order, Tosha Baker (Christopher), Nichole Barton (West Frankfort), Nikki Benedict (Benton), Britni Blades (Dahlgren), Alison Blair (Benton), Dani Boston (Christopher), Mary K. Brewer (Pinckneyville), Chandler Cannon (Pinckneyville), Amber Chwarczinski (Zeigler), Emily Culbreth (Benton), Lexi Donoho (Mt. Vernon), Tymber Downen (Wayne City), Lauren Fasig (Christopher), Rachel Flood (Buckner), Kendra George (Tamaroa), Elizabeth Heiken (Texico), Tomi Heil (McLeansboro), Jerri Hethmon (Benton), Christian Hoffman (Benton), Alicia Hutchings (Pinckneyville), Dayna Keyes (Mt. Vernon), Sierra Kind (Benton), Jacque Lash (Mt. Vernon), Ora Lawrence (Woodlawn), Robin Leaton (Murphysboro), Raven LeVine (Thompsonville), Emily Likens (Mt. Vernon), Jessica Lohman (Christopher), Misty Martin (Mt. Vernon), Andrea McGlasson (Sesser), Amanda Miller (Benton), Chris Moore (Mt. Vernon), Hannah Moore (Benton), Megan Newbury (Sesser), Joann North (Christopher), Emily Piercy (Belle Rive), Amy Ping (McLeansboro), Beth Pheasant (Christopher), Jessica Phillips (DuQuoin), Raschel Pryer (McLeansboro), Jody Roberson (Sesser), Tiffany Schwartz (Wayne City), Miranda Shafer (Bluford), Brock Shirley (Herrin), Chelsie Smith (Royalton), Mackenzie Teel (Christopher), Mariah Teriet (Mt. Vernon), Rebekah Thomason (Texico), Kara Thompson (Royalton), Callie Webb (Dahlgren), Hayley Webb (Macedonia), Kristin Wetzel (Texico), Kelly Williams (Mt. Vernon), and Danielle Winget (Sesser).