Tennessee Wesleyan College

Posted on: May 4, 2012

Tennessee Wesleyan College's Fort Sanders Nursing Department pinned 62 graduates at Thursday evening's senior convocation and pinning ceremony.

Tennessee Wesleyan College’s Fort Sanders Nursing Department pinned 62 graduates at Thursday evening’s senior convocation and pinning ceremony. Faculty, students, friends and family gathered at Cokesbury United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tenn., to celebrate the academic achievements of the 62 graduates. Class President Afeni Henderson delivered the student address while the keynote address was given by Diane Oliver, vice president and chief nursing officer of Parkwest Medical Center.

Henderson congratulated her fellow classmates on making it to “a day that [she] thought would never get here.”

“All of the hard work and dedication has finally paid off,” said Henderson, who equated nursing school with going through the five stages of grief. “We survived countless hours of studying, various assignments, gut-wrenching exams and clinical rotations that spanned across Anderson, Blount, Davidson and Knox counties. For this, we can be proud.”

From anger over a tremendous work load, to bargaining with God to get a passing grade on a test, Henderson believes her and her fellow classmates went through denial, anger, bargaining and depression before reaching the final stage of grief: acceptance.

“Now that we are here at the end, we must know that nursing is not just a profession,” said Henderson. “It is a lifelong commitment to making a difference in people’s lives. Regardless of the paths we choose to take from this point on, whether it is quickly entering the work place, beginning graduate school in the fall or taking some much needed time off for vacation, we are in the position where our decisions as nurses can greatly impact the lives of others.”

In her keynote address, Oliver underscored Henderson’s emphasis on the impact her and her classmates will have on their patients and their patients’ families.

“It is my hope that you will practice always within the scope and standards that have been defined by our profession,” said Oliver. “Today you are pledging to always keep the patient and their family at the center of your practice. You are committing today to be an avid and lifelong ambassador for our profession and to always promote both the art and the science of nursing.”

2012 Tennessee Wesleyan College Fort Sanders Nursing Department Graduates:

Lyndsey Ailshie Amanda Baucom Markham*

Jessica Bailey Shannon May

Lindsey Beard Holly McLeskey*

Kari Benziger Chelsea McNabb

Jennifer Bigler Florence Michel

Candice Burgan* Denise Miller, RN*

Brittany Conley*, ** Kristen Miller

Shawn Crabtree, RN* Dora Nasritdinova

Benjamin Curtis Katherine Osburn

Kandace Dalton Caitlin Parkerson

Becky Dills Katrina Quist*

Sara Esmiol Kailyn Reed

Britney Fritts Megan Rogers*

Nicole Gagel Loretta Roscoe

Amanda Beard Gibbs Alli Rose*

Adrienne Gowen Sabrina Runyon

Chelsea Harmon* Kaley Settlemyer

Stephanie Hebenstreit Robin Sims

Afeni Henderson Caroline Solomon

Heather Hensley** Marlene Sommer

Heather Hewett Sarah Southerland*

Allison Hixson* Hope Stanley

Lauren Hobson* Jenny Stevens

Janae Holmes Joshua Thompson

Erin Householder Lauren Tidwell*

Cayci Jordan Jessica Tillmann

Mary Kate Kegley* Dalya Tobea*

Brittany Latham* Kristin Waggoner*

James Lee* Lauren Ward*

Christina Long, RN Clare White

Carrie Lyle Melissa Wright*

* Members of Rho Mu Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

**Elected Officers of Tennessee Association of Student Nurses and/or TWC-Student Nurse