Angelina College Recognizes Graduating Nurses in Pinning Ceremony

Congratulations are in order for a group of graduates from Angelina College who will be heading into the health careers field.

Angelina College’s Vocational Nursing program on Monday held its traditional pinning ceremony, acknowledging 19 new members and their entries into the nursing profession.

After an introduction and welcome from AC’s Dean of the School of Health Careers, keynote speaker and instructor Dr. Charlet Blades encouraged the new graduates to embrace “the support, the struggle, the success and the celebration.”

“I told our students they have to believe the impossible will be possible,” Blades said. “So many of these students suffered, but they overcame, and they made the impossible possible tonight.

“Once you overcome anything you think is impossible, and you experience success, you realize that’s just the first success. People who are successful have at least one success they can fall back on, and they can tuck that back in their hearts and tell themselves, ‘Maybe, if that was possible, I can reach the next level.’”

The new nurses strolled the stage inside Hudgins Hall to receive their awards, with some of them getting “pinned” by friends or family members, and they followed with the traditional candle-lighting ceremony and the Nightingale Pledge.

The list of newly pinned nurses includes Ajetutu Akinlade, Krislyn Balderas, Josie Crosby, Amanda Fandry, Kelllie Garsee, Cynthia Godinez, Maria Gutierrez, Makayla Howell, Joselin Jaraguchi, Jabria Jenkins, Rebecca Johnson, Kayla Jones, Latrinda McGee, Ciara Meglic, Amanda Montgomery, Elexia Nash, Kaylee Pantoja, Glenda Rodgers and Vanessa Vargas.

Faculty members included Ferguson-Adams, Blades, Dr. Sandra Brannan, Alison Dillion, Mary Hastings and Jacquelyn McClain.

Newly pinned members of Angelina College’s Vocational Nursing program pose during Monday’s traditional pinning ceremony held at AC’s Hudgins Hall. A total of 19 new nurses received their awards and pins. (Gary Stallard/AC News Service photo)

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