On Thursday, May 24, Three Rivers Community College held the Fifty-First Nursing Pinning Ceremony. During the ceremony, 32 nursing students received their nursing pin, marking the completion of their nursing degree and serving as a symbol of their readiness to serve as compassionate professional caregivers.

Keynote speaker Mary Lenzini, the President and CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut, addressed the students telling them that being a nurse is “not just a profession, it is a privilege” and that “we all have an opportunity and a responsibility to make a difference.” Lenzini’s own nursing career spans 50 years, and she concluded her speech by congratulating the students and hoping that they find as great a joy in their nursing lives as she has.

Faculty and administration also spoke to the students, admiring the hard work and determination that brought them to this point. Class speaker Jennifer Netopski read the poem “You Are A Nursing Student” by Anneliese Garrison: “You will learn these things because someday someone’s life will depend on you./You are a nursing student, you will graduate——/You will be, in all it’s wonder and glory,/a Nurse.”

A recitation of the Nurse’s Pledge came after the presentation of the students’ nursing pins. The students have earned an Associate of Science in Nursing. Upon completion of a licensing examination, the graduates will have earned the credential of Registered Nurse (RN).

Three Rivers graduates’ scores on the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) are consistently above the national average, with a three-year average of over 93%. Graduates also report a 98% job placement on the last three graduate surveys.

The nursing students are:

Rebecca Almeida        Sterling, CT

Dawn Bertocki            Griswold, CT

Michelle Bousquet      North Grosvenordale, CT

Michaela Bowman      Niantic, CT

Thomas Campos         Old Saybrook, CT

Cristy Canova              Norwich, CT

Jie Chen                       Uncasville, CT

Kyle Deveau                Westerly, RI

Lesley Dunbar             Ledyard, CT

Kimberly Fitch             Plainfield, CT

Keila Garrido               Willimantic, CT

Brandy Gonzales         Oakdale, CT

Jennifer Goyette         Plainfield, CT

Mahogany Johnson     New London, CT

Sierra Kniskern            North Stonington, CT

Blaine Meek                Groton, CT

Aleck Mikulka             East Lyme, CT

Meagan Muriel           Uncasville, CT

Jennifer Netopski        Oakdale, CT

Kara O’Keefe               Portland, CT

Amanda Pearce          Chaplin, CT

Sarah Pratts                 New London, CT

Kelli Rodgers               Groton, CT

Marisa Rondina           Gales Ferry, CT

Anna Sekula                Putnam, CT

Rachel Shafer              Windham, CT

Jennifer Smith             Madison, CT

Cassandra Stimson      Canterbury, CT

Angela Stohlberg         Woodstock, CT

Alexander Timinskas   Old Saybrook, CT

Leigh Walkoviak          Groton, CT

Colleen Yarchak          Windham, CT