Front Row (seated from left to right): Amy Snipes, of Sellers; Tiffany Tyner, of Cheraw; Ashley Harper, of Cheraw; Lori Crocker, of Patrick; Jessica Griggs, of Patrick; Angellica Ford, of Cheraw; Michelle Herring, of Pageland. Back Row (standing from left to right): Cheryl Douglass, NETC Nursing Department instructor; Theresa Wright, NETC Nursing Department Head; Courtney Gilmore, of Darlington; Kimberly Kelly, of Cheraw; Patriece Sims, of Darlington; Shara Goodwin, of Cheraw; Alison Laney, of Pageland; A. Felicia Kirby, of Bennettsville; Whitney Belcher, of Bennettsville; Pam King, NETC Nursing Department instructor.

See more photos from the Practical Nursing pinning ceremony.

January 18, 2008
Students Graduate from NETC Practical Nursing 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.

After an invocation delivered by the Reverend Dr. Johnnie McLendon, of Fisher Hill Community Baptist Church, Dr. Ron Bartley, president of Northeastern Technical College, began the ceremony commending the students for their hard work and taking special measures to recognize their families for their support.

“You are completing a rigorous program that prepares workers for one of the noblest careers in our area,” he said.  “But there are people who have done much to help you get to this point and we need to recognize them also.” 

Bartley asked the parents, spouses, children, brothers, sisters and other family members of the graduates to stand up and be recognized for their support.  After a round of applause, Bartley congratulated the graduates on doing what was necessary to get the job done and encouraged them to never stop learning.

Shara Goodwin, of Cheraw and president of the graduating class, also emphasized the need to continue seeking learning opportunities during her response.

“We took 60 exams, experienced more than 400 hours of studying, 850 hours in the classroom and clinical setting, and really poured our hearts into becoming nurses this year,” she said. “But we should continue to seek knowledge in our new careers to help us continue enhancing our nursing skills.” 

It is a tradition for NETC practical nursing students to choose a speaker for their pinning ceremony who they feel made the greatest contribution to their education.  This year, the graduates chose Shirley Dockray, a registered nurse who teaches courses in the NETC Practical Nursing program.  Dockray is a 1976 graduate of the program and has worked at Chesterfield General Hospital for more than 30 years in the intensive care unit.

“I love working with NETC students because they are bright, energetic and even able to teach us old nurses some new tricks and get us up to date on the latest technologies out there,” she said.  “It has also been my honor to work with these graduates because they made it even more possible to give our patients a sense of feeling important because of the extra care we were able to give them.”

Dockray encouraged the graduates to continue their education and offered words of wisdom by which to guide their new found careers.

“Even though you are no longer students, you’ll always learn as nurses and you’ll have plenty of people of learn from including your patients and their families,” she said.  Dockray also suggested that the graduates keep a sense of humor, stay connected to their motivation to make a difference in people’s lives, treat family members as well as patients, trust that challenges will pass and have a strong faith in God. 

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 Jessica Griggs, of Patrick, for the positive attitude and caring she expressed toward patients and their families during her clinical rotation. 

Shara Goodwin, of Cheraw, 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.