Campbellsville University holds pinning ceremony for graduating nursing students

Written by Raquel Valderrama, Office of Communications

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Kristin Campbell smiles as she and her fellow nursing students are honored during the ceremony. (CU Photo by Joshua Williams)

CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY (12/19/2018) (readMedia)-- "Nursing School is hard but it's worth it because being a nurse is a lot of different things, but in it's simplest form it is dedicating a life to others," Wendy Jolly, Campbellsville University School of Nursing's class speaker, said recently at a pinning ceremony inside Ransdell Chapel on campus.

"It doesn't matter who you are or what has happened to you we will take care of you. As nurses we will take care of clients in their darkest and brightest moments." Jolly, of Glasgow, Ky., said.

"We will have days that we will question our strengths, our skills and sometimes our sanity but we will continue each day to get up and to get into someone's life and help them out."

Dr. Beverly Rowland, dean of the School of Nursing, announced the Servant Leadership Award. In honor of Dr. James Jones, pastor at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and a member of the CU Board of Trustees, and his dedication to the nursing program faculty decided to name the award after Jones.

"Dr. Jones has tirelessly done our blessing of the hands every semester for our nurses and we are so pleased to have you here, he is such a blessing to us.

"He is on the Board of Trustees, but he is much more than that to us at the School of Nursing, we love him," Rowland said.

"Every year we give a servant leadership award, and we've decided to name it after Dr. Jones. In recognition of your demonstrated service, motivated by godly servanthood, you model integrity with thoughts, words and actions. Show love for others while putting the need for others above yourself."

Jones, who is also part-time special assistant to Campbellsville University Church Outreach, blessed the students' hands during the pinning ceremony. Before the blessing Jones spoke a few words to thank the School of Nursing.

"Dr. Rowland, thank you for this honor and those of you who were responsible for it and making it possible. I think I have done the blessing of the hands every time since the School of Nursing was established. This is an honor and I always look forward to this. Having this award named after me is one of the highest honors of my life," Jones said at the School of Nursing pinning ceremony.

Shortly after giving thanks, Jones gave a speech about the blessing of the hands and how it is important for these nurses to have their hands blessed.

"You think about every time you give a shot you need your thumb. It's hard to do it with two fingers to press to give a shot. When you have to adjust the medicine, you need that thumb. You need four fingers to hold it and grasp it and you need a thumb.

"It's so important and God put that there. He gave you two hands, eight fingers and two thumbs. When you committed to becoming a nurse, your hands joined with the doctors, medical science and all mighty God to relieve pain, to sooth and to comfort hurting people.

"Your hands are so very important. When we reach our hands out to provide care to do work as you care for other people, you're saying to others you're important to me and you are cared for by the efforts of many and you are valued by many and I have my hands to show for it.

"Those hands are so important in what you do and because you use your hands so much to bless others tonight after your pinning, we are going to bless your hands," Jones said.

Rowland presented the special awards to the nursing graduates. Rowland said the young women have worked hard, and they have these awards to show for it. Awards are presented to the following:

Dr. Jones Servant Leadership Award: Olivia Houchens of Glasgow, Ky.; Excellence Award: Erica Sharlow of Campbellsville, Ky.; Clinical Excellence Award: Kimberly Brussell of Danville, Ky.; Academic Award: Erica Sharlow of Campbellsville, Ky. and Kimberly Brussell of Danville, Ky.;

Dr. Cheatham Award: Shelly Readnour of Danville, Ky.; and the Health Educated Systems Incorporated (HESI) Award: Kristin Campbell of Campbellsville, Ky.

The following were pinned by Linda Gibbins, instructor in nursing; Sharon Thomas, instructor in nursing; and the families of each student: Kari Elaine Bishoni of Campbellsville, Ky.; Kimberly Marie Brissell of Danville, Ky.; Kristin Lynn Campbell of Campbellsville, Ky.; Summer Leigh Ann Choate of Cadiz, Ky.;

Brianna Katelynn Hansel of Brodhead, Ky.; Liz Higgins of Columbia, Ky.; Olivia Marie Houchens of Glasgow, Ky.;

Wendy Michelle Jolly of Glasgow, Ky.; Makayla Resha Lee of Albany, Ky.; Shelly Readnour of Danville, Ky.; Erica Nicole Sharlow of Campbellsville, Ky.; Alexis McCall Turpin of Campbellsville, Ky.; and Erica Lynn Wilder of Danville, Ky.

There was a total of thirteen nursing students pinned.

Bill Plotts, instructor in nursing, led the "Nightingale Pledge."

Jai Ramlochan, ADN Program coordinator, led the lighting of the lamps, which symbolizes the care and devotion nurses administer to the sick and injured in the practice of nursing, as well as symbolizes the "rounds at night" made famous by Nightingale.

SaraGrace Ramlochan led the recessional by singing "I Hope You Dance."

Rhonda Vale, Clinical Coordinator for the School of Nursing, and Faith Corbin, instructor in nursing, distributed roses to the newly pinned students.

Campbellsville University is a widely-acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 13,000 students offering more than 90 programs of study including Ph.D., master, baccalaureate, associate, pre-professional and certification programs. The university has off-campus centers in Kentucky cities Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset, Hodgenville and Liberty with Kentucky instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Summersville, and nationally in Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay, Jacksonville, Fla. and Chicago. The university also has a full complement of online programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.