Fifteen New Nurses Enter Profession Following Pinning Ceremony
By GARY STALLARD
AC News Service
Angelina College’s School of Health Careers on Thursday held a traditional pinning ceremony for its newest Vocational Nursing program graduates, with a total of 15 students representing the Class of 2025.
Dr. Winifred Ferguson-Adams, Dean of the School of Health Careers, addressed the new audience while welcoming the graduates to their new profession.
“It doesn’t matter where you start in this field, nursing is hard,” Ferguson-Adams said. “It is what it is, because guess what? We save lives. It’s a nurse at our bedside when we’re born, and it’s a nurse who holds our hand as we transition into the next world. So yes, we do hold our nurses to a high standard.
“Tonight, I want to congratulate our students. I want you to take a deep breath and recognize your accomplishments. You are entering a profession of service, and for that, you should feel very proud.”
Dr. Charlet Blades, Vocational Nursing instructor at AC, served as the guest speaker. She reminded the new nurses that they’re entering a profession based on “a true passion for helping others.”
“My hope for you is that you realize nursing is not just something that you do, but it’s something you have become,” Blades said. “My mom once told me, ‘Never just marry someone you can live with. Marry someone you can’t live without.’ I hope that the nursing profession is something you realize you can’t live without.”
Joining the staff onstage was the Deep East Texas Nurse Honor Guard, a group comprised of retired, active and student nurses.
Following are the graduates of the Class of 2025, along with their home towns. (Cities are in Texas unless otherwise specified.)
Yocelyn Acevedo (Lufkin); Lyllian Allen Gann (Lufkin); Misty Alvarado (Lufkin); Hunter Belschner (Lufkin); Fabiola Castillo (Lufkin); Kamryn Davis (Lufkin); Jennifer Delavega (Nacogdoches); Katy Hensarling (Nacogdoches); Alissa Henson (Lufkin); Morgan Johnson (Huntington); Mykayla Jones (Livingston); Sasha Platt (Huntington); Kayla Roy (Kennard); Jessica Sanchez (Lufkin); and Lauren Wallace (Broaddus).
Vocational Nursing Faculty: Dr. Winifred Ferguson-Adams, Dr. Susan Adams, Dr. Charlet Blades, Patricia Hooks and Mary Hastings.
For further information regarding Angelina College Health Careers, email healthcareers@angelina.edu.
For information regarding this press release, contact Gary Stallard at gstallard@angelina.edu.
Photo captions:
Full group:
Students from Angelina College’s Vocational Nursing Program Class of 2025 pose before Thursday’s traditional pinning ceremony. A total of 15 new nurses received their pins inside Temple Theater. (Gary Stallard photo for AC News Service)
Dr. Charlet Blades:
Angelina College Vocational Nursing instructor Dr. Charlet Blades addresses the crowd during Thursday’s ceremony held inside AC’s Temple Theater. A total of 15 new nurses received their pins as they enter the nursing profession. (Gary Stallard photo for AC News Service)
