Southwestern Michigan College April 29 welcomed 21 new nurses to America’s largest health care profession with almost 4.2 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide. The federal government projects that more than 203,000 new positions will be created each year through 2031.
The spring class received associate degrees in nursing (ADN) in a pinning ceremony in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus. The class joins the ranks of 3,185 SMC nursing graduates.
Dr. Melissa Kennedy, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Services, was stymied trying to find a unifying theme for the diverse group on stage.
“None seemed to stick,” Kennedy said. “I kept coming back to voices. Some are quiet, others are booming. But one thing is certain for this group. They’re not afraid to use their voices. They’re inquisitive seekers of information, sometimes holding with tradition, but often challenging norms.
“Continue to be inquisitive seekers of information,” Kennedy said. “Continue to hold fast to traditions, but please always continue to challenge norms. Use your voices for the greater good. While it’s important to advocate for yourself, remember, you’re advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves any longer. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your inner voice. Let your voice speak for your heart. Every one of you has a very powerful voice. I’m confident that this group can move mountains with their voices.”
“Both my grandmothers were nurses,” President Dr. Joe Odenwald noted in his welcome. “They took great care of me growing up. My paternal grandmother went through her training in Greenville, Miss. She grew up on a 40-acre farm in the 1930s, one of 13 children. She could live in the hospital, study eight hours a day, work as a tech on the floor eight hours a day and sleep for eight hours for three years.”
“My maternal grandmother was a practical nurse at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, La., when my mother was very young. We need a nurse at the beginning of our life and we need a nurse at the end.
“Of all the programs we have, and I love every single one, the one I get the most feedback on when I bump into people is this one. You’re part of a great legacy. Carry that forward. The good care you give because of the great faculty who trained you, you’re not just going to be an ambassador for nursing, you’re an ambassador to this institution,” Odenwald said. “We look forward to how you take care of our world.”
Faculty in attendance included Chair Rona Goodrich, Stacey Dwyer, Haley Smith, Yolanda Roche, Hazel Lim, Catherine Chandler, Courtney Williams and Allison Coleman.
Graduates include: Molly Danelski of Niles, Katherine Devries of Stevensville, Randall Draper of Niles, Kari Field of Decatur, Jeanette Hernandez of Wakarusa, Elvira Herrera Ortega of Elkhart, JoDee Lambert of Edwardsburg, Candice Martin of Wakarusa, Craig Mothorpe of Vandalia, Mackenzie Norris of Galien, Amber Oleskiewicz of Constantine, Vilimuli Paea of Berrien Springs, Stephanie Palmisano of Niles, Sydney Prillwitz of Dowagiac, Erin Rochefort of Bridgman, Elizabeth Romero of South Bend, Beatriz Rosales of Dowagiac, Carter Strebeck of St. Joseph, Samantha Woolverton of Niles, Asia Wright of Rochester Hills and Cassandra Zehr of Plymouth.
Vilimuli Paea was presented a Lamp of Knowledge by Dr. Kennedy in recognition of the peer-selected Florence Nightingale Award embodying selflessness, compassion, thoughtfulness, team play, dependability, generosity and humility.
“God bless my upbringing, standing on the shoulders of giants. My giants were my parents,” Paea said. “Quiet and humble, they stood behind my every decision. My dad builds homes and told me the pen is lighter than the hammer. Dad, lifting a person is much heavier than lifting a hammer. I will still have bad knees and a bad back, like you. Thank you for giving me the work ethic. We made it! You now have a $10 allowance for the casino every week.
“Mom, you know I always wanted to be like Dad, but the older I get, I can only dream of being like you. You are as caring as you are determined, with a heart of gold. Thank you for giving me a kind heart like yours. Lastly, I thank my classmates. I didn’t start with you guys, and only half of you know my name, but because of you all, especially a few of you, my parents get to see me walk across this stage today.”
