DUBLIN –Bladen Community College graduated 22 Practical Nursing students in a pinning ceremony on July 20.

Board chair Dennis Troy and college president William Findt provided greetings and welcomed students and attendees. Ms. Denise Davies, CNM, addressed the graduates with words of encouragement, stating, “this is the day you have waited for.”

Student Kassi Boswell received the Practical Nurse Education Professional Nursing Award for Theory and Clinical Nurse Application. The student recognized with the Practical Nurse Education Professional Nursing Award for exemplifying the best role model of the professional nurse and excellence in leadership in the Practical Nurse Education Program was Whitney Packer.

Shacara Bridges and Jessica Gillman were awarded the Practical Nurse Educational Nursing Award for Highest Grade Point Averages in the Practical Nurse Education Program.

During the pinning ceremony, students receive a nursing lapel pin and a lamp which symbolizes the gas lamp carried by British nurse Florence Nightingale as she made nightly rounds of wounded soldiers during the 1853-1856 Crimean War. Students also recite the Florence Nightingale Pledge.

The 2017 graduates are Taylor Allen, Amy Baxley, Jaclyn Benton, Kassi Boswell, Shacara Bridges, Jessica Gillman, Hillary Green, Mandy Hannon, Tyler Harrelson, Ashleigh Hunt, Lexie Jacobs, Zara Jones, LaToya Malloy, Jessie McPherson, Tracy Quick, Whitney Packer, Dominique Pierre-Canel, Reagan Powers, Stephanie Putman, Melissa Simon, Brittany Strickland, and Taryn Strickland.

Marshals for the graduation were Kaitlyn Strickland and Stacy Tice.

The nursing program at Bladen Community College continues to grow the workforce with highly-skilled professional nurses. For more information about careers in Allied Health, call Sharron Thomas at 910 879-5532.