Today will mark the beginning of an exciting new phase for graduating vocational nursing students attending Santa Barbara Business College in Santa Maria. In a tradition dating back to Florence Nightingale, the graduating class of nursing students will receive their nursing pins at a ceremony to be held at the Santa Maria Inn at 6:00 pm.
A nursing tradition that symbolically welcomes aspiring nurses into the profession, the ceremony signifies the completion of the nursing program. Dawn Lopez, Lead Instructor of the College’s nursing program in Santa Maria, will present SBBCollege-unique nursing pins to the newly-graduated students. Graduates will be receiving their nursing caps during the ceremony as well, which are traditionally awarded to students who are ready to enter the field for clinical training.
This is the 3rd pinning ceremony the College has given for graduates of the nursing program. Along with awarding of the pins, the ceremony will include a welcome address from the College’s Campus Director, Alfred J. Schuermann, as well as speeches from students in the graduating class.
Campus Director Schuermann is excited for these students and their achievements. “I’m very proud of all of these students,” Schuermann said, “they’ve finished a challenging program and they’re well prepared to go out into the healthcare industry. They’ll take good care of people.”
The nursing graduates will also participate in a general graduation ceremony with the business, legal and medical graduating classes of SBBCollege’s Santa Maria campus on August 27th.
The graduating class of nurses include:
Desiree Carr
BJ Castaniaga
Heather A Doty
Marecar Evalle
Sandra Fry
Melissa Hepler
Tiffany Quinn
Connie Tarrant
Kathyrine Valdez
Jesse Wallace
After graduating from the program, nursing students will begin preparations to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical/Vocational Nurses (NCLEX), administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. SBBCollege nursing students are well prepared for the exam.
The Santa Barbara Business College vocational nursing program is 14 months long, and includes clinical training that gives students real-world work experience in the nursing field before they graduate. Graduates are prepared for positions in hospitals, long-term care and private practice environments.
Enrollment for the nursing program at SBBCollege’s Santa Maria, Bakersfield andRancho Mirage campuses is currently in progress. Currently, there is no waiting list.
To learn more about the nursing program at SBBCollege, call 1-866-610-SBBC.
