January 9, 2009
NETC Students Graduate from LPN Program

Students completing the practical nursing program at Northeastern Technical College (NETC) were formally “pinned” and recognized recently at a ceremony in front of more than 150 family members, friends, and college administrators gathered on the college’s campus in Cheraw.

Front Row (left to right): Cheryl Douglass, instructor; Shakeeka Myers, of Chesterfield; Sandra Dennis, of Hartsville’ Felesha Williamson, of Bennettsville; Pam King, instructor. Middle Row (left to right): Veronica Blakeney, of Pageland; Tammy Huggins, of Mt. Croghan; Krystal Courtney, of Pageland; Teresa Jones, of Wallace. Back Row (left to right) Susan Mullis, of Chesterfield; Costina Lower, of Cheraw; Shannon Chavis, of Chesterfield; Natasha Timmons, of Darlington; Tamekia Bragg, of Pageland; Dana Robinson, of Wallace; Lacey Lee, of Cheraw.

After an invocation delivered by Pastor Jerry Corbett, Dr. Ron Bartley, president of Northeastern Technical College, begin the ceremony commending the students and their families for their hard work and support.

“Being here tonight gives me the special pleasure to honor these graduates who have shown a high level of commitment to their program, the profession and themselves,” he said.  “But I also want to honor the commitment their families and friends have shown in encouraging them along the LPN pathway at Northeastern Technical College.” 

Lacey Lee, of Cheraw, president of the 2008 practical nursing class also emphasized the role of family during her response speech.

“If it was not for all of you who supported us and filled in for us when we could not be there, we would not be here tonight,” she said. “We experienced long hours of studying which took away from our time with family but, you each helped us to find the faith, courage and push to keep pursuing our dreams.” 

It is a tradition for practical nursing graduates to choose a speaker for their pinning ceremony who they feel made the greatest contribution to their education.  This year, the graduates chose

Pam King, a nursing instructor in the practical nursing program at Northeastern Technical College, who the graduates felt blessed to have as an instructor, mentor and career advisor.

King congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to continue to look inside of themselves to define and share the special gifts they can bring to the profession. 

“People are counting on you to do for their loved ones what they can not do for them,” she said.  “So look within and give your patients and their families the special skills that you have to be compassionate and an advocate for your patients.”

King also reminded the graduates that sometimes the best care a nurse can give does not include technology.

“With all the advances and progress that technology has brought to the nursing profession, the power of human touch and simple presence is even more needed,” she said.  “Sometimes the best care is a simple touch of the shoulder and silence to let the patient know that someone who cares about them is near.”

Two of the fourteen graduates were recognized with special awards during the ceremony.  The Jean L. Harris Award for Outstanding Clinical Performance was presented to Tammy Huggins, of Mt. Croghan, for the positive attitude and caring she expressed toward patients and their families during her clinical rotation. 

Shannon Chavis, of Chesterfield, received the NETC Award for Practical Nursing Academic Excellence for her outstanding performance in the classroom and knowledge of nursing skills.

The highlight of the pinning ceremony came when each graduate received a specially-designed NETC nursing pin, worn as part of the nurse’s uniform, along with a symbolic lamp representing the nursing profession.  The pin and lamp are the traditional symbols of completion of a nursing education program.  After the presentation, the graduates recited the Nightingale Pledge and were formally presented to the audience by Bartley.