PIQUA — Edison State Community College honored its most recent nursing graduates, May 11, with a pinning ceremony at the Piqua campus.

The pinning ceremony is a tradition in which the graduate nurse is presented to family and friends as a professional. Each school has a unique pin.

Edison State President Dr. Doreen Larson welcomed friends and family members and commended those being pinned. Gwen Stevenson, dean of Nursing and Health Sciences, praised the hard work and determination of the students, while recognizing the sacrifices made by the family members and friends who have supported them while completing their degrees.

“Nursing school has been quite the journey: stress, new friendships and so much knowledge,” said graduate Tashaunya Strunk, of Houston. “We all worked so hard. I recall hours spent in the lab practicing skills, group study sessions and a lack of sleep. There was a lot of time dedicated to studying and long clinical days, but this huge achievement was worth every bit of it.”

Graduates of the program will move on to the next phase of their career, which involves taking the registered nurse licensing exam and seeking employment.

Other local graduates are Krista Blankenship, Georgia Hoying and Laura Williamson, of Anna; Jennifer Lange, of Osgood; Sherry Dearth, Valerie Holthaus, Emily Ocke, Misty Scott and Leah Slone, of Sidney; and Tonya Alton and Emily Harmon, of Versailles.