The third cohort of students who completed their studies in Bainbridge College Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) Program that started in 2006 marked a first for the program at their traditional pinning ceremony.

Before receiving their diplomas at the May 8 graduation that BC held at Decatur County Memorial Coliseum, the 17 students gathered with their nursing instructors, family and friends at the Charles H. Kirbo Regional for the ADN Pinning Ceremony.

The May 3 ceremony was the first time the ADN pinning was held on campus.

Students receiving pins in the ceremony, which included the traditional lighting of lamps and awards presentations, were Justin M. “Mikey” Alday of Mayhaw, Stephanie Anderson Alday of Cairo, Heather Barber of Bainbridge, Ashley Chason of Cairo, Shawn Collins of Albany, Cara Jones of Donalsonville, Lea Ann Jones of Bainbridge, Benedict James Malinao of Colquitt, Wanda Sadler of Cairo, Martine Salter of Bainbridge, Linda M. Stokley of Crawfordville, Fla., Dionne C. Thomas of Whigham, Nicole Thomas of Cairo, Donna R. Thompson of Climax, Vashawn Thompson and Shelonda Wilson, both of Bainbridge, and Crystal Wood of Donalsonville.

The graduates received distinctive pins designed exclusively for the BC ADN program. Nursing faculty assisting ADN Program Director Faith Garrett in the presentations included Dianne Beauchamp, Sheree Dickenson and Jeffrey Ross.

BC Vice President of Academic Affairs Mariam Dittmann welcomed all those in attendance to the ceremony for which former nursing faculty member Betty Huskey had been invited as keynote speaker. Her remarks were read by faculty member Rhonda Payne.

Ruby Barlow and Jeffrey Ross presented Linda Stokley the Academic Excellence Award and Dionne Thomas the Clinical Excellence Award.

Linda Smith of Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville presented Donna Thompson the Archbold Memorial Leadership Award.

Cynthia Vickers of Bainbridge presented the Memorial Hospital and Manor Outstanding Scholarship Student Award to Heather Barber.

Also participating on the program were the Rev. Conrad Salter and Pastor Wayne Whiddon, who gave the invocation and the benediction, respectively; and ADN students Mikey Alday, Heather Barber, Martine Salter, Nicole Thomas, Donna R. Thompson and Crystal Wood.

In addition to thanking families, friends, the ADN faculty and Ruby Barlow, the program’s administrative assistant, the class of 2009 expressed appreciation to Memorial Hospital and Manor in Bainbridge for continued support of nursing education, and Archbold Medical Facilities, Donalsonville Hospital and Seminole Manor, Southeast Alabama Medical Center, Capital Regional Medical Center, Florida State Hospital, the Decatur County School System, and area health departments.