Degree candidates celebrated for achievement at Winter Convocation

On December 14, 2011, the College of Nursing celebrated the achievements of degree candidates at its annual Winter Convocation held in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church.

Twenty-one bachelor’s degree candidates (16 from the Sultanate of Oman) and 53 graduate students who earned their master of science in nursing degrees or post-master’s certificates were recognized as family and friends looked on. Among the guests were two distinguished visitors from Oman’s Washington, D.C. embassy – Dr. Asya Al-Lamki, Cultural Attaché and Mr. Hassan Abdelnabi, Senior Finance & Administration Officer and Senior Academic Advisor.

This group of graduate students included 21 who completed studies in the nurse practitioner specialty and will begin positions in primary care advanced practice nursing caring for families, pediatric patients and adults of all ages in their respective settings. Additionally, there were seven students in nursing education and one in health care administration who earned their degrees. In November, a separate celebration was held with the 24 nurse anesthesia students who finished their graduate studies in attendance. They are now employed around the country in their specialty.

At the event, family nurse practitioner student Lydia Williams received The Carina Joy Rogerson Endowed Memorial Graduate Nursing Scholarship. The scholarship was awarded by Cari’s sister and brother-in-law, Charlene and Rob Recobs. Lydia  will complete her studies in December 2012. Those assembled were inspired by the words of pediatric nurse practitioner graduate Lyndsy Wittmer who challenged them to not limit themselves and to create change. Reflecting on how the principles of veritas, unitas and caritas are exemplified here, she noted that her “Villanova eyes allow me to see myself as a citizen of the world.” Her words were echoed in Dean Louise Fitzpatrick’s address as she encouraged graduates to “be the change agents for the future.”