SSCC’s practical nursing program graduates 11
The 41st graduating class
of Southern State Community College’s practical nursing program
was honored during a special pinning ceremony held Aug. 20, in
the college’s Central Campus auditorium. Eleven students were
recognized for completion of the college’s one-year certificate
program.
“The pinning ceremony is a
time-honored tradition to mark the passage from nursing school
to the nursing profession,” explained Dr. Julianne Krebs, SSCC
Director of Nursing, who opened the evening’s ceremony with
introductions of the nursing faculty and SSCC President Dr.
Kevin Boys.
Guest speaker for the program was
Dr. Kim Miller-Wenning, a family and psychiatric nurse
practitioner who also serves as an adjunct faculty member in
Southern State’s nursing program.
“Dr. Miller-Wenning is a graduate of
an associate degree program here at Southern State 20 years
ago,” said faculty member Jody Gray in introducing the guest
speaker. “She has exemplified what we would like our students to
become: lifelong learners.
“She went right from Southern State
to a hospital school of nursing and earned her bachelor’s
degree, then she became a certified nurse practitioner and went
on to earn her master’s degree in medical surgical nursing. She
completed post master’s certificates as a family nurse
practitioner, family psychiatric mental health nurse
practitioner and in nursing education, serving as a clinical
faculty member for our program and for the University of
Cincinnati. Recently she finished her doctorate of nursing
practice.”
Taking the
stage, Dr. Miller-Wenning concurred: “I am one of those
lifelong learners. I started college in 1978 and I’ve taken a
class every year since then. I’ve been in school longer than
some of you have been alive! If you think you’re done, don’t
believe it. You’re going to learn every day; there are always
new things to learn.
“Nursing is
about caring,” she continued. “But do we, as nurses, take care
of ourselves? That’s one thing we need to do. You can’t take
care of anyone else if you’re not at your best.” She further
emphasized to the graduates that part of caring as a nurse is
also caring about community, colleagues, families and the
nursing profession.
Following Miller-Wenning’s address
to the graduates, Dr. Krebs recommended the graduates for
certification and recognized members of Phi Theta Kappa honor
society, including Mary Fraley, Lisa Haynes, Betty Johnson and
Sarah Lewis.
Marilyn Jones, practical nursing
faculty member, then presented the Licensed Practical Nursing
Association of Ohio’s free one-year membership award to graduate
Betty Johnson.
Two graduating students participated
in the evening’s program. Mary Fraley presented the opening
remarks, while Scott Faulconer closed with a benediction.
The most recent graduates of
Southern State’s practical nursing program, who join the ranks
of 881 graduates before them, include Douglas Scott Faulconer of
Greenfield, Mary Ann Fraley of Leesburg, Lisa Haynes of
Hillsboro, Melissa M. Hostetler of Washington C.H., Betty C.
Johnson of Greenfield, Carissa Leigh Kirk of Ripley, Sarah Marie
Lewis of Hamersville, Kendra Dawn McDaniel of Blue Creek,
Adrienne M. Montgomery of Wilmington, Dennis R. Rogers of
Winchester, and Tasha Nicole Wallace of Batavia.
To learn more about Southern State
Community College’s practical nursing program, please visit
www.sscc.edu/academics/degrees/practical_nursing.htm,
or call Administrative Assistant Sue Leach at 1-800-628-7722,
ext. 2640.
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