NURSING CONVOCATION AND PINNING HELD AT B-CC

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Twenty graduates of the Bethune-Cookman College School of Nursing program were honored on Saturday, May 1 at the annual pinning and awards convocation in Heyn Memorial Chapel.

"The legacy continues" was the theme for the ceremony, which was dedicated to Bethune-Cookman College Dr. Oswald P. Bronson, Sr., whose tireless support of the School of Nursing has played a key role in the program's rise to prominence.

"Dr. Bronson has poured blood, sweat and tears into the nursing program," said Dr. Margaret Lewis, retired Dean of the Florida A&M Nursing School and the day's key note speaker. "Under his leadership, Bethune-Cookman's nursing program is one of the best in the country and sound in every aspect."

Lewis, who herself assisted in the growth of the program, told the students that self-awareness was a key part of their progress.

"You have learned a lot of concept during your time here,'' Lewis said. "Most importantly, you have learned who you are."

The twenty graduating seniors: Melissamae Alvaro, Jacksonville, Fla; Adrian Asia, Miramar,Fla.; Julia Brewer, Fresno CA; Natasha Dockery, Chiefland, Fla. Donna Evans, Tampa, Fla.; Leslie Fordham, Daytona Beach, Fla., Antonya Foster, Belle Glade, Fla.; Havia Green, Ft. Lauderdale Fla.; Ronaye Green, Daytona Beach, Fla.; Janine James, Tallahassee, Fla.; Tamika Parks, Holly Hill Fla.; Ferquita Stokes, Daytona Beach, Fla.; Lynn Sullivan, Lake Helen, Fla.;  Jamie Tanksley, Irving, Tex.; Delores Thompson, Orlando, Fla.; and Richard Young, Ormond Beach, Fla..

Dean Dr. Alma Dixon presented Lewis with the Excellence in Education Award.

Community Service awards were presented to Barbara Frazier, a retired Human Resource Coordinator at Halifax Medical center and Patrick Johnson who is leaving the position of Executive Community Health Director at Volusia County Health Department to become the top health official of the Flagler County Health Department.

Asia and James received the Nursing Advisory Board's Perseverance Award, while Young and Fordham received the Heart of Volusia Outstanding Student Award.

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Bethune-Cookman is a comprehensive college, which offers degrees in liberal arts as well as professional fields, such as business, education and nursing. A United Methodist Church-affiliated school, the College has a diverse and international student population of more than 2,700 and a solid reputation for academic excellence and community service. As evidence of its outstanding program, the College has been listed in the Templeton Honor Roll of Character Building Colleges and Universities, and it was ranked by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the “Top 50” schools in the nation for black students.  B-CC is one of 10 charter member colleges of Project Pericles, a program to create civic leadership and involvement on its member campuses.  The College will celebrate its 100^th year of founding on October 4, 2004.

For more information, contact our website www.bethune.cookman.edu. 

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