Each year, the Lillian Duer James School of Nursing at Richmond Community College holds a pinning ceremony where graduates receive their nursing school pins. Awards for academic excellence are presented and challenges for the future are given. The ceremony was held Thursday, May 14, at the Cole Auditorium. Family and friends of the 35 graduates celebrated completion of the rigorous program.

RCC President Dr. Sharon Morrissey congratulated the graduates and thanked members of the health care community in the audience for their support in providing clinical sites for the RCC nursing program. She said as professionals, the graduates will enter hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices, and long-term care facilities to deliver the care and healing only a nurse can provide.

“They have nurtured you in your development as nursing professionals. They have encouraged you, stood by you to guide you, and, tonight welcome you ceremonially and formally into the nursing profession,” Morrissey said.

Associate Degree Nursing Instructor Emily Aycock, RN, BSN of Laurinburg was the keynote speaker.

She recalled her feelings at her graduation 13 years ago. All the sacrifices required by the program had finally paid off, but the responsibility of becoming a nurse and having patients of her own seemed overwhelming.

“We have nurtured you and taught you many valuable lessons over the past two years. As a new graduate transitioning to a professional RN, there is no doubt you will stumble and fall many times before you take flight. The question is, how will you recover from those falls? If you make a mistake, you must remain honest, accept responsibility, and learn from them,” she said.

ADN Class President Robert Sampson of Laurinburg and Samantha Durden of Rockingham presented the students’ tribute.

“I’m honored to have spent the last 24 months with this group of individuals. We celebrated as we won the Spirit Award in the Relay for Life for Scotland County for demonstrating the most spirit as a team. We raised over $4,000, all in honor of our instructor Mrs. Ronnie Tunstall. This group became family over the course of the program. I guess we should have since we spent more time with each other than with our families,” he said.

Sampson said the college should be very proud of its nursing program because nursing faculty will go above and beyond what is expected to make sure students are successful.

Instructor Sue Wagner presented the student awards:

— The Scholastic Achievement Award, was awarded to Christopher Burr of Ellerbe.

— The Golden Stethoscope Award was awarded to Ross Brigman of Cheraw.

—The Hamlet Hospital Alumnae Award was awarded to Megan Williams of Hamlet.

—The Mental Health Nursing Award was awarded to Cynthia Shuman of Hamlet.

—The Obstetric Award was awarded to La’Toscha Cockrell of Laurinburg.

_The Pediatric Award was awarded to Jessica Lancaster of Hamlet.

—The Scotland Memorial Hospital Nursing Service, the Scotland Memorial Hospital Administration, and the Joseph W. Grimsley Humanitarian Awards were awarded to Robert Sampson of Laurinburg.

—The Phyllis Caviness Gerontology Award was awarded to Susan Hino of Wingate.

—The FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital Professional Nursing Award was awarded to Ross Brigman of Cheraw and Samantha Durden of Rockingham.

—The Laura Susan Sharpe Memorial Nursing Awards were awarded to Judy Wallace of Rockingham and Tina Revels of Gibson.

— Lillian Duer James School of Nursing pins were awarded to the following: Ross Brigman, Ciji Jones, and Melissa Russell of Cheraw, S.C.; Tina Revels of Gibson; Rayma Bowen of Maxton; Christopher Burr of Ellerbe; Nina Carpenter, Valerie Hicks, Rebecca Jones, Jessica Lancaster, Myra Scott, Cynthia Shuman, Megan Williams, and Alicia Wilson of Hamlet; Tammy Womack of Laurel Hill; La’Toscha Cockrell, Diane Cofell, Tabitha Dunn, Paula Fairley, Robert Sampson, Leah Smeigh, Judith Wallace, and Christina White of Laurinburg; Katrina Blackwell of Monroe; April Deese of Pembroke; Joshua Patterson of Pinehurst; Allison Bounds of Red Springs; Malinda Dockray of Ruby S.C.; Amber Chavis, Haylee Chavis, Samantha Durden, Lauren Leviner, Paula Quick, and Cayce Terry of Rockingham; and Susan Hino of Wingate.