The Nursing Department held a convocation for its14th graduatingclassonJune6.The two-hourceremony took place in the Dixon Ministry Center. Before the ceremony, faculty,seniors,familyandfriends mingled atareception given in their honor by the department. Senior David Butgereit provided music on his classical guitar. Theconvocationwasopened in prayer by Academic Vice President Duane Wood,and a charge to the class was given by Dr.Irene Alyn,Chair ofthe Department of Nursing, who reflected on the class Bible verse, John 15:5. Unique to graduation from the Nursing program is the tragladE mocJ f0 eazdyn cS'imons dition of pinning, the part of the convocation in which the graduate receives theBSN pin. During the pinning ceremony, each student was also awarded a specific character quality which the nursing students and faculty chose as descriptive of that graduate. Three awards were presented: the Academic Award went to Amy Stewart, who maintainedaGPAof4.0;Kathy Petersen received the Practice Award,given to the nurse who performs above expectations in the clinical setting; and the Character Award,voted on by classmatesandfaculty,wentto Katie Smith. A high point for the graduates came in the final part of _1 tni the ceremony when they took off their blue student smocks, leaving only their white nursing uniforms. LoisBaker,ProfessorofNursing,said, "thisis when it really hits them that they are nurses!" For their class song,the seniors selected"AnyRoad,Any Cost." Graduate Renee ElKhouri explained, "we chose this song because it wasalong road that wefollowed to getus to this point--years of lab reports, all-night study sessions, and early morning clinicals-- sometimesallinthesameweek. ButGod gotusthrough and He will continue to guide us as we serve Him in our professional careers." AM, 102 academics
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