Angelina College Associate Degree Nursing Program Holds Pinning Ceremony

More than 60 New Nurses Receive Awards

By GARY STALLARD

AC News Service

Angelina College’s Associate Degree Nursing Progam’s Class of 2024 last week held its traditional pinning ceremony, recognizing its 62 new members and their journeys into the nursing profession.

Dr. Sandra Brannan, Director of Nursing Programs at AC, presented awards to outstanding students, including Sandy Eastepp (highest class GPA), Caleb Powell and Nancy Njenga.

Brannan, with her more than 50 years of nursing experience, reminded the students that the field of nursing never stops changing, meaning learning is a never-ending process.

“Never, ever stop learning,” Brannan said. “Read everything you can, keep working on furthering your education and remember you’ll never know everything there is to know about this profession.”

The new graduates received their awards on the graduation stage inside Shands Gymnasium, with some of the new nurses getting “pinned” by friends or family members. They followed with the traditional candle-lighting ceremony and the Nightingale Pledge.

The list of nurses celebrating their pinning is as follows:

Victoria Adeoti, Lisette Aguilar, Natalie Aldape, Allison Andrews, Andrew Arriaga, Samuel Belasco, Jasia Berry, Demonica Burse, Yanely Castillo, Joseph Clark, Jessica Crisanto, Tationna Crosby, Teresa Denton, Nevaeh Donaldson, Sandy Eastepp, Christian Elizondo, Grace Ensign, Natalie Epperson, Kate Fuqua, Whitney Greenup, Maritza Guillen, Hailey Hernandez, Jade Hillburn, Jackson Hiltpold, Alivia Jackson, Briauna Jernigan, Katelyn Jordan, Jerrikah Kelly, James Lensing, Rebecca Leyva, Cesar Lopez, Elizabeth Luna, Kaylin Magee, Ashly Martin, Margarita Martinez, Shelby Mason, Chloe Milton, Sonia Modisette, Nancy Njenga, Adriana Ortega, Natali Ovalle, Shabri Parker, Jennifer Phillips, Magan Poindexter, Vanessa Porras, Caleb Powell, Dawson Rapsilver, Amanda Ricks, Giselle Rivera, Madalynne Samuelson, Jacob Schmidt, Elizabeth Scroggins, Madison Smith, Gilbert Soto, Allison Teasdale, Nicole Titler, Mayra Vargas, Eva Velazquez, Melissa Walsh, Marci White, Tatum Williams and Kerri Wilson.

Staff and faculty members included Dr. Winifred Ferguson-Adams, Dr. Sandra Brannan, Kelley Durr, Toni Fleming, Allison Gray, Alicia Hayden, Vergie Hines, Kathy Jackson, Nadia Martindale, Dr. Nancy McClurg, Anna McReynolds, Linda Moran, Peggy Mortensen, Amber Murphy, Henrietta Sells, Dr. Bobbie Williams and Boyu Zhao.

Photo captions:

Group 1:

Members of the Angelina College Associate Degree Nursing Progam’s Class of 2024 pose following their pinning ceremony held this past week. More than 60 new nurses received their awards. (Gary Stallard/AC News Service photo)

Dr. Sandra Brannan and Sandy Eastepp:

Angelina College Director of Nursing Programs Dr. Sandra Brannan (left) presents Sandy Eastepp the award for the highest GPA in her graduating class. The Associate Degree Nursing Program recognized 62 new nurses in last week’s pinning ceremony held on the AC campus.  (Gary Stallard/AC News Service photo)