The Misericordia University Nursing Department recently held a pinning ceremony in Lemmond Theater in Walsh Hall to honor undergraduate nursing students in the traditional Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) program and the RN to BSN Expressway Program who graduated May 16 at the 89th annual Commencement ceremony.
Undergraduate nursing students who completed the program receive the Misericordia University Nursing Pin, a symbol of achievement in the nursing profession. Family and friends attended the ceremony, which also featured Sister Jean Messaros, vice president of Mission Integration, RSM, blessing the pins, and nurses reciting the international pledge and prayer for nurses.
The following graduates of the traditional BSN program received their pins: Brooke Anderson, Jillian Balberchak, Cory Balko, Samantha Baro, Katie Barto, Alyssa Bazink, Emily Bittner, Katrina Blannett-Kasper, Julia Boyd, Shelby Brochetti, Matthew Brown, Brooke Carey, Melinda Carnecki, Beatriz Chavez, Sherry Chen, Lacey DeGraw, Christina DeJohn, Brittany Delancey, Christopher Evans, Lauren Ford, Emily Hegner, Kelsey Heimbach, Claudia Henry, Tyler Hessert, Nicole Klees, Samantha Knowlton, Emily Kudlacik, Genevieve Minnich, Alicia Norato, Amanda O'Brien, Jessica Owen, Yuri Pelepko-Filak, Holly Reese, Brittney Rosencrans, Angel Shope, Matthew Stephenson, Amanda Turoni, Kelsey Wagner, Veronica Warshaw and Kelly Zirnheld.
The following graduates of the RN to BSN Expressway Program also were recognized: Julie Burkholder, Angela DeLucca, Kristy Edwards, Kylene Gordon, Teresa Heller-Wescott, Rebecca Ktytor, Melanie McAnney, Elizabeth McGinley, Brooke Mlinarich, Amanda Morales, Judith Ragukas, Amie Sabally-Coronis, Jacqueline Shearer, Marissa Shillabeer, Brian Supsic, Katherine Traher, Gina Trotto and Carrie Winters.
Several graduating students also were honored at the event with awards for various accomplishments. Nicole Klees, Montgomery, received the Sister Mary Kateri Dorwart Award that is presented to a graduating nursing student who matriculated in the undergraduate program (excluding the RN/Expressway program); has a GPA above 3.0; is a member of the National Student Nurses Association, and has demonstrated service to the Nursing Department, University and/or community.
Brooke Mlinarich, Danville, received the M. Bernadette Hogan Nursing Award which is presented to a graduating RN student who exemplifies outstanding service and leadership to the profession of nursing and to the community. Jordan Papp was presented with the Clinical Excellence Award that is given to a student whose GPA is greater than 3.0 and who is judged by faculty to administer superior nursing skills in clinical practice.
Samantha Knowlton, Clifford, was presented with the Clinical Excellence Award. It is given to a student whose GPA is greater than 3.0 and who is judged by faculty to administer superior nursing skills in clinical practice.
The John Glawe Award for Caring and Compassion in Nursing was given to Matthew Brown, White Haven. The award is conferred annually to a BSN student who exemplifies caring and compassion with clients in a clinical unit.
Misericordia University features the oldest nursing program in the area and graduates more students in the health sciences than any other college or university in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The University offers three undergraduate nursing programs: traditional, full-time nursing students; part-time accelerated evening program for adult students; and the RN to BSN Expressway Program. The undergraduate nursing programs are designed to meet the special educational and scheduling needs of adult and traditional students. They all lead to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
The MSN nursing program is designed to meet the special needs of current BSN registered nurses who desire an advanced practice specialization as a family nurse practitioner. MU also offers a post-master's certificate as a family nurse practitioner for nurses who already have an advanced clinical master's degree and who wish to change or expand their practice focus to primary care. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced education in health assessment, diagnosis and management of acute and chronic health conditions with expertise in health promotion and disease prevention. Graduate programming leads to the MSN and provides course work in a convenient part-time, one-day-a-week format.
The University also offers an online Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program in two formats to accommodate the needs of busy health care professionals and in response to growing national need.
For more information about the nursing programs at Misericordia University, please call (570) 674-6400 or log on to www.misericordia.edu/nursing. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1924, Misericordia University is Luzerne County's first four-year college and offers 34 academic programs on the graduate and undergraduate levels in full- and part-time formats. Misericordia University ranks in the top tier of the Best Regional Universities – North category of U.S. News and World Report's 2015 edition of Best Colleges, and was designated a 2015 Best Northeastern College by the Princeton Review.
Caption:
Misericordia University nursing students who participated in the recent nursing pinning ceremony, first row from left, are Lauren Ford, Mountain Top, Pa.; Brooke Carey, Forty Fort, Pa.; Alyssa Bazink, Mayfield, Pa.; Brittany Delancey, Montrose, Pa.; Jessica Owen, Edwardsville, Pa.; Kelsey Heimbach, Selinsgrove, Pa.; Katie Barto, Severna Park, Md.; Beatriz Chavez, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Melinda Carnecki, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Amanda Turoni, Scranton, Pa.; second row, Emily Hegner, Langhorne, Pa.; Katrina Blannett, West Pittston, Pa.; Claudia Henry, Lyons, N.Y.; Kelsey Wagner, Saylorsburg, Pa.; Angel Shope, Bennettsville, S.C.; Emily Bittner, Dallas, Pa., and Emily Kudlacik, Parsippany, N.J.; third row, Brittney Rosencrans, Hunlock Creek, Pa.; Holly Reese, Nanticoke, Pa.; Kelly Zirnheld, Mountain Top, Pa.; Veronica Warshaw, Honesdale, Pa.; Brooke Anderson, Blue Bell, Pa.; Genevieve Minnich, Mickleton, N.J.; Julia Boyd, Laflin, Pa.; Jillian Balberchak, West Pittston, Pa., and Christina DeJohn, Drums, Pa.; fourth row, Nicole Klees, Montgomery, Pa.; Samantha Knowlton, Clifford, Pa.; Sherry Chen, Kingston, Pa.; Alicia Norato, Newton, N.J.; Samantha Baro, Douglassville, Pa.; Lacey DeGraw, Tyler Hill, Pa., and Shelby Brochetti, Wallkill, N.Y.; fifth row, Tyler Hessert, Williamsport, Pa.; Christopher Evans, Exeter, Pa.; Cory Balko, Falls, Pa.; Yuri Pelepko-Filak, Trucksville, Pa.; Matthew Stephenson, Tunkhannock, Pa., and Matthew Brown, White Haven, Pa. Absent at time of photo was Amanda O'Brien, Dallas, Pa.