61 Receive Nursing Pins At Springfield technical Community College

SPRINGFIELD — The 61 men and women in the associate degree nursing class of 2004 at Springfield Technical Community College received their school pins at a ceremony held on campus on May 25. The students graduated two days later at the school’s 37th commencement ceremony.

Nursing Department Chairperson Mary M. Tarbell served as mistress of ceremonies for the program. Chairman of the STCC Board of Trustees, Bruce W. Stebbins, gave greetings from the Board; STCC President Dr. Andrew M. Scibelli also addressed the “soon to be registered” nurses, as did Michael Foss, dean of the School of Health.

Class President Nathanael Rosario of Springfield, along with three of his classmates gave a brief welcoming address.

Each year the nursing class elects one or more student speakers for the occasion. This year, graduating seniors Joy C. Burns of South Hadley and Shawna Marie Lowney of Chicopee served as class speakers. The guest speaker for the ceremony was Dr. Eileen Neville of Easthampton, retired dean of the STCC School of Nursing.

Traditionally, the pinning ceremony is the first time the nursing students wear the complete white uniform. It is the occasion when the nursing faculty welcome the students into the nursing profession as colleagues. The nurse’s pin, which signifies the school at which the nurse has been educated, is placed over the heart of each graduate in uniform by the director of the nursing program.

Following the presentation of the class by class advisor Kathy McLaughlin and the awarding of nursing pins, Tarbell presented special awards. This year the Nursing Faculty Award, voted by the department faculty, was presented to graduating senior Joan Delgrego Schermerhorn of Wilbraham. The honor is given in recognition of a graduate “who has demonstrated high academic achievement, clinical excellence, and community involvement within the Nursing class.”

The Nursing Achievement Award was presented to Lourdes Espinosa of Chicopee. This award is presented to the graduate “who overcame unique challenges, and still maintained a caring, nurturing attitude toward patients.”

The Academic Excellence Award, for the graduate “who has maintained academic excellence and outstanding clinical achievement throughout the program,” was presented to Bridget F. Miller of Agawam.

The Clinical Excellence Award, given to the graduate “who provides exceptional patient care in the clinical setting” was this year presented to three students: Andrew J. Doucet of West Springfield, Joyce A. Trites of Wilbraham, and Tracy Yost of Hampden.

The Mercy Medical Center Award was presented by Mercy’s Director of Education Maureen Lanzoni to the graduate “who best exemplifies the philosophy of Mercy Hospital, that is the belief in the sacredness of human life, the innate dignity of each person, and the ability of persons to realize their fullest potential.” This year’s recipient was Nursing senior Lynn A. Maciolek of Chicopee. Mercy’s Vice President of Patient Services, Beverly Ventura, was also in attendance.

The Heritage Hall award was presented by Heritage Director of Nurses Jill Landis. The award, for a freshman student who will become a senior in the fall, went to Kim Costa.

STCC’s Nursing grads for 2004 are:

Lindsey Albano, Cassie Andre, Robin Attardi, Pavel Balaska, Shalea Beckett, Carrie Beliveau, Brianne Berriman, Karlene Blass, Joy Burns, Patricia Casale, Melinda Cavanaugh, Aimee Chofay, Jennifer Colon, Brenda Curry, and Kathryn Delgado.

Also, Donna Docherty, Andrew Doucet, Lourdes Espinosa, Dierdre Finnerty, Amy Francois, Lori Gilmartin, Frances Godek, Brian Gross, Alan Guilbault Jr., Carol Hollister, Marie Joyce, Donna Johnson, David Kane, Kriston Karl, Alison Lamontagne, Shawna Lowney, Lynn Maciolek, Bridget Miller, Antoinette Moseley, Joshua Nearine, Amy Nelson, Melissa Odom, Marcy-Ann Ottoson, and Erin Pappis.

Also, Francine Pelley, Alice Polmatier, Sheila Rivest, Jackie Rodriguez, Wendy F. Rojas, Nathanael Rosario, Barbara Savage, Joan Schermerhorn, Jackie Scott, Stephanie Sheehan, Fay Smith-Irish, Renee Stachowicz, Tamara Sueiras, Kathy Sullivan, Amber Thorpe, Joyce Trites, Daniel Tousignant, Sarah Wescott, Crystal White, Renee Wiener, Tracy Yost, and Cynthia M. Zitka.