Nursing students reflect and celebrate at Pinning Ceremony
Melinda N. Ellis being pinned by one of her closest friends during the School of Nursing Pinning Ceremony.
Twenty-seven Radford University School of Nursing students recited in unity the Nightingale Pledge on Dec. 12 in a proud testament and commitment to the life-changing profession.
The graduates were joined by family, friends, RU administrators and faculty in Bondurant Auditorium for the traditional Pinning Ceremony in which they were individually adorned with a Radford University School of Nursing pin, a badge of honorable distinction. They received their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees on Saturday during Winter Commencement.
The celebration was the culmination of the students' success in Radford's renowned nursing program, which proved a challenging and rewarding experience.
"There were times I didn't think I would make it, but now that I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I almost feel on top of the world," said Kelsey Page of Virginia Beach. "My classmates and I have been through so much."
After graduation, Page has an interview at the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk, where she interned this summer.
Her classmates joined in reflection during a moving slideshow presentation that chronicled their journey: "From the first day of nursing school, trying to draw medicine into a vial, to the last day of practicum, caring for patients," Page said.
Navy Captain Annette Beadle '85, the speaker for the pinning ceremony
Graduate Kevin Soriano had a lot to celebrate Friday afternoon. Soriano's family migrated from the Philippines 10 years ago. He is the first of the four children in his family to graduate from an American university.
Surrounded by family after the ceremony, Soriano was all smiles.
"This moment means a lot to us," he said. "It feels great."
Soriano plans to work at Richfield Retirement in Salem upon graduation.
Guest speaker and RU alumna Navy Capt. Annette Beadle '85 offered words of wisdom and encouragement through an inspiring speech that drew a standing ovation. While a student at RU, Beadle participated in the nursing program and was a field hockey and softball athlete.
"I'm here to demonstrate that ordinary people can do extraordinary things," Beadle said. "Each of you will also create your own legacy, big or small. And each of you will have personal and professional accomplishments that define you and solidify your position as a registered nurse."
Beadle is currently a deputy director of nursing at the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Arlington. Through her service in the military, she has traveled the world, she said, but she got her start at Radford University.
"I came here on my own from Dale City, Virginia," Beadle said. "I had to manage my own schedule and balance my budget. I had to meet deadlines, study and succeed without having a parent to help me or tell me what to do. But I always had the support of the faculty at Radford. I felt that they had my best interest at heart."
Kevin M. Soriano flashes one of his trademark smiles as his mother and sister pin on his Nursing Pin during Friday's Ceremony.
That support and perseverance is the reason 25-year-old Melinda Ellis is among the nursing graduates.
Ellis, of Salem, entered foster care at age 16. Through the support of social workers, many of whom attended the Pinning Ceremony, she decided to pursue her interest in oncology.
"I've always known that I wanted to give back and care for others, just as my social workers cared for me," Ellis said.
Ellis enrolled in RU while also juggling a full-time job as a nursing assistant – a task not many people could handle.
"It was intense," Ellis said, recalling the strenuous 12- and 16-hour work shifts she balanced along with her studies. "But it made me appreciate life a lot more. I know I worked hard for this. Failing wasn't an option."
Ellis has accepted a job in the oncology/hematology unit at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. She was also awarded at the ceremony the Janet Hardy Boettcher Nursing Excellence Award.
Other award winners were: Megan Compton, Scholastic Excellence Award; Elizabeth Green, Kitty Parker Smith Leadership Award; Brooke Reeves, Marcella J. Griggs Excellence in Geriatric Nursing Award; and Samantha Chase, Janice S. Mooney Excellence in Pediatrics Award.