Practical Nursing Graduates Celebrate Pinning Ceremony

Emilie Jenson, Public Information Office
5/16/2024

Iowa Central Community College honored its Class of 2024 Practical Nursing graduates with a pinning ceremony on Thursday evening, May 9 at Decker Auditorium on the Iowa Central Fort Dodge campus.

Dr. Jesse Ulrich, Iowa Central president, welcomed and congratulated the graduates on their achievements and encouraged them to go on to work with care and compassion.

“With the skills these graduates have, they will be able to go on and do great things,” said Ulrich. “Whether this is your first pin or your final pin you someone people will look to for compassionate care. Take that compassion and care into the workforce and show everyone what you can do and be an example of one of the best programs at Iowa Central.”

Collins Lagat, representing the Fort Dodge Campus; Makenna Withers, representing Storm Lake Campus; and Aubrianna Bixby, representing the Webster City Campus, presented the student address.

“Here we are at the culmination of hours of study, practice and perseverance,” said Lagat. “This is a new era. The beginning of a story yet to be written. Let’s step forward with courage and compassion as we celebrate the end of one era and the beginning of another.”

Bixby compared nursing students to a cactus plant and how she and her classmates, like the cactus, thrived under difficult conditions.

“It was not always easy,” said Bixby. “Some days brought frustration along the way, but we never saw a classmate give up. Instead, we studied harder, gave more, and learned that despite the challenges, we can do difficult things.”

Withers closed the student speeches reflecting on how quickly the first year of school passed by.

“I don’t think we could predict just how fast-paced this year would be,” she said. “Congratulations to all of then nursing graduates here today, we did it.”

Nursing instructors Christel Becker, Betty Daniel, Christina Foth, Amanda Johnson, Jessica Johnson, Carrie Kephart, Jennifer Leffler, Stacey Poldervaart, Kaylee Schmitt and Joleen Sernett conducted the conferring of pins to the graduates.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the 74 graduates recited the Nightingale Pledge, led by Lagat, Withers and Bixby.

 Practical Nursing (LPN) graduates are: Aubrianna Bixby, Altoona; Alexzandria Ramirez, Altoona; Christina Busch, Ames; Allyssa Kline, Ames; Avery Scandrett, Ames; Fabiloa Gomez, Belmond; Eevarista Oxlaj, Bode; Kailey Reetz, Boone; Carsen Hamann, Cedar Falls; Tori Etter, Clarion; Callista McCracken, Clarion; Lashelda Williamson, Des Moines; Kacy Ramirez, Early; Regina Wolf, Early; Althea Ball, Farnhamville; Ashley Ayala, Fort Dodge;  Savanna Ayala, Fort Dodge; Jenna Carlson, Fort Dodge; Kasey Chesnut, Fort Dodge; Rylie Goraczkowski, Fort Dodge; ; Autumn Houy, Fort Dodge; Emma Krivolavy, Fort Dodge; Collins Lagat, Fort Dodge; Jordan Martin, Fort Dodge; Alexis Miller, Fort Dodge; Cheyenne Miller-Hameed, Fort Dodge; Molly Myer, Fort Dodge; Kiersten Myers, Fort Dodge; Alyssa Perez, Fort Dodge; Winrose Phillips, Fort Dodge; Aleaha Pommer, Fort Dodge; Jaymie Ray, Fort Dodge; Hailey Stone, Fort Dodge; Rose Wredt, Fort Dodge; Mia Kerns, Goldfield; Mason Ackerson, Gowrie; Chelsea Elwood, Harcourt; Samantha Dominguez, Humboldt; Alexis Hansen, Humboldt; Haley Stockdale, Humboldt; Jessica Trunkhill, Humboldt; Emma Johnson, Jewell; Grace Arnold, Kamrar; Payton Steig, Lake City; Sawyer Steig, Lake City; Jessica Rodriguez, Lakeside; Annamae Leverson, Lime Springs; Alyssa Klatt, Marathon; Juliana Warren, Norwalk; Mindy Cardenas, Otho; Christina Marine, Pocahontas; Katherine Folsom, Rockwell City; Milena Munoz, Rockwell City; Chelsey Helbing, Sioux Rapids; Italia Delgadillo, Storm Lake; Yen Lam, Storm Lake; Autumn Michaelson, Thor; Tori Adams, Wall Lake; Florence Kamrara, Waukee; Allisa Fox, Webster City; Caroline Hennagir, Webster City; Stephanie Loftus, Webster City; ; Kennedy Moore, Webster City; Ellenor O’Hearn, Webster City; Autumn Spurling, Webster City; Britany Tudor, Webster City; Lisa Willms Badillo, Webster City; Ayanii Satcher, Cottage Grove, MN; Brittany Tufvesson, Jackson, MN.