The culmination of Quinsigamond Community College’s Fall 2024 semester included pinning ceremonies for over 90 students, who graduated from the college’s nursing program and will now enter the healthcare industry. The students completed an Associate of Science in Nurse Education degree and will now be able to work as registered nurses once they pass the board certification exam.
“Our graduates embody the future of healthcare in our local community. With the ongoing demand for dedicated and qualified nurses, these graduates are entering a profession where their work will profoundly impact both their patients' lives and the resilience of our local healthcare system,” said Dean of the School of Healthcare Pat Schmohl. “We are incredibly proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to seeing them make meaningful contributions to the health and well-being of our community.”
All QCC nursing graduates attend pinning ceremonies, which are a tradition in nurse education to symbolize the work and dedication that students put into their studies.
Priscilla Araujo, class president of the Day Nurse Education Program, worked throughout the year to raise funds for the pinning ceremonies, which she described as a significant rite of passage for new nurses and a proud moment for herself and her peers.
Araujo is a working mother who has been in the healthcare industry for years, holding positions including emergency medical technician and practice manager. Looking for more responsibility, nursing was a logical next step, which led her to QCC. Pending her board certification, Araujo has secured a position in the emergency room at UMass Memorial Health. She noted that most of her fellow graduates have secured employment as well.
“QCC’s nursing program is great, and I would absolutely recommend it. We learned a lot of pathophysiology and the professors I recently had really care about students’ emotional health,” Araujo said.
Check out next month's Wyvern Guardian newsletter for an exciting announcement about QCC's nursing graduates.
To learn more about QCC’s Nurse Education program visit qcc.edu/healthcare/nurse-education.