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34 of Southwest’s finest nurses receive their nursing pins

By Marketing and Communications Staff 

Student Nursing Government Association President Sylferia Pirtle receives her certificate for academic excellence from Department Chair, Dr. Marlon Gibson.
Student Nursing Government Association President
Sylferia Pirtle receives her certificate for academic
excellence from Department Chair, Dr. Marlon Gibson.

Amid the shout-outs of “great job, mom” and “way to go, honey”, coming from families in Nabors Auditorium, 34 of Southwest's finest nurses received their nursing pins during the College’s fall pinning ceremony on Dec. 8. 
 
Students earned their A.A.S. degree in nursing and will soon take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).  

President Tracy D. Hall said the pinning ceremony is a special graduation for the students. “This is your graduation, just for you. All of our programs are rigorous and this is one of the toughest programs we have and rightly so given what they do and the enormous responsibility they have. It is a life and death profession. It is fitting that we have a special recognition for them. I am so proud of them and the work they have done.”  

During the ceremony and on behalf of the graduating class, Debbie Virginia presented Dr. Marlon Gibson, department chair of Nursing, with a plaque for “being an exceptional teacher and in recognition of your phenomenal teaching methods and your preparing, loving and understanding and for going beyond the limits of what a normal teacher would do.” 

Dr. Gibson awarded three awards to the following students: Peter Hunter for the Florence Nightingale Award; Ashley Lloyd for Academic Excellence; and Sylferia Pirtle for Leadership. Winning the Mary Mahoney Award for perseverance was Debbie Virginia.   

In closing, Dean of Health and Natural Sciences, Dr. Sheila Bouie, told the story of how her father needed dialysis during the Thanksgiving holiday and the nurse who came to assist them both. The nurse was a former Southwest nursing student who told them “I got this”. Hearing those words and how the nurse took control of the situation made her father feel comfortable. “This is not just my story but your story. When we see you in the act of doing what we have taught you to do, we are so incredibly proud. You are not just representing Southwest, you are representing your family and everyone else. I want to thank you for what you will do, not for what you have done because it’s not done yet.” 

For more information about the nursing program, contact Dean of Health and Natural Sciences Dr. Shelia Bouie.  

Congratulations to all the nursing students and award winners.  Graduates of the fall 2023 nursing program.
Graduates of the fall 2023 nursing program.

Fall 2023 Nursing Graduates

Kristie Adcock
Angela Baker
Rebecca Bouler
Tornika Brooks
Timika Carr
Louanne Changkachith
Brittany Coker
Monika Crawford
Serena Davis
Kelsey Griffin
Timiesha Hardrick
Chaquita Harris
Ciara Hodge
LaMiracle House
Peter Hunter
Ashley Lloyd
Emily Lloyd		 Heather Loggins
Perla Lopez-Calderon
Blake McGinnis
Brittany Meyers
Katie Opperud
Sylferia Pirtle
Alicia Putnam
Lakeshia Robertson
Robin Rodriguez
Alyissa Schild
Brandon Smith
Anna Stafford
Amanda Thomas
Debbie Virginia
Markquita Watson
Shannon Williams
Casey Winsett