College of Saint Mary recognizes next generation of nurses at 2018 pinning ceremony

OMAHA, NEB. – College of Saint Mary (CSM) hosted its annual Nurse Pinning Ceremony on July 21st.  Each Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student in the Class of 2018 received a pin as a symbolic welcome into the nursing profession.  The BSN pin for College of Saint Mary is shaped as a cross and represents worthiness, constancy, truth, loyalty, knowledge, and courage, qualities many of the graduates exhibit.

Dr. Christi Glesmann, the director of the undergraduate nursing program, presided over the ceremony. Nearly all 53 nursing students who graduated this summer attended the ceremony. Shamra Fritsch ’18 was the guest speaker. Amanda Knight ’18 gave the invocation, and Callie Herrig ’18 led the closing prayer.  Dr. Jack Healy, the vice president for academic affairs, delivered the closing remarks.

“From the beginning, our instructors were the first people to make sure we recognized ourselves not just as students but also as nurses,” said Shamra Fritsch ’18 in her speech. “They saw the potential for greatness in all of us and have worked diligently to shape us into high-class nursing professionals.  I know they succeeded.” 

During the ceremony, all the nursing students also recited the nursing pledge.

At every ceremony, College of Saint Mary honors two exceptional students with an award. One is designated as the BSN Student of the Year, and another receives the Spirit of Nursing Award. The BSN Student of the Year was Lindsey Smith. Chosen for this award by her peers, Smith has consistently demonstrated academic excellence, leadership in the community, and professionalism in the clinical setting. The Spirit of Nursing Award went to Taylor Jane Brown. Brown was selected for this honor because she exemplifies the spirit of caring in nursing and represents the CSM mission through her academic excellence, community service, and professionalism in the workplace.

List of BSN Graduates:

DaRion Archie
Alyssa Beal
Amber Beighley
Marna Bents
Paige Bergholz
Sara Betzelberger
Meghan Brockhaus
Taylor Brown
Jessica Case
Kaitlyn Clements
Cassandra Clouatre
Erika Colorado
Wendy Dodge
Vicky Eaton
Kaylie Farber-Brown
Megan Frans-Griess
Shamra Fritsch
Claire Gasparovich
Brandee Goulette
Callie Herrig
Amy Hoefer
Alanta Hunt
Monica Islas-Ortiz
Jamie  Johnson 
Stephanie Kelnhofer
Amanda Knight 
Kaitlin Kozusko
Jenny Mather
Anna Maxwell
Tiffany McAllister
Felicia Newton
Jessica Nguyen
Alondra Ocampo Ortiz
Marivel Paredes
Paige Paskevic
Kassandra Pepper
Jazmine Pina
Stephanie Robertson-Berger
Ni'Cole Rowe
Emily  Semerad
Megan Shaneyfelt 
Jessica Smith
Lindsey Smith
Makayla Stolzenburg
Alyssa Thorne
Morgan Tress
Choua Vang
Callie Wanek
Kelly Wees
Auset Williams
Katelyn Wingate
Shanyia Woods
Melissa Young