{"id":1918,"date":"2017-08-07T14:04:18","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T14:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/?p=1918"},"modified":"2017-08-07T14:04:18","modified_gmt":"2017-08-07T14:04:18","slug":"tstc-vocational-nursing-graduates-celebrated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/?p=1918","title":{"rendered":"TSTC Vocational Nursing Graduates Celebrated"},"content":{"rendered":"

(HARLINGEN) – Family and friends gathered at the Texas State Technical College Cultural Arts Center recently to honor and celebrate their loved ones\u2019 success during the annual TSTC Vocational Nursing Pinning Ceremony.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a special night full of tradition,\u201d said Nicki Cone, TSTC vice president of Instructional Support. \u201cI commend these students for choosing the profession of caring for others. And on behalf of the TSTC administration, we want to thank these students for everything they do and will do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Vocational Nursing Pinning Ceremony is held twice a year during the fall and summer semesters and is described by TSTC Vocational Nursing Program Director Adriana Hinojosa-Vassberg as the rite of passage into the profession.<\/p>\n

\u201cTonight we passed the light of knowledge to our graduate nurses,\u201d said Hinojosa-Vassberg. \u201cAnd we capped them and pinned them, which symbolizes the helmet and shield they need as they enter into a battle of fighting illness and caring for patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

This semester 16 graduate nurses were presented with their pins and caps. These same students will also graduate from TSTC later this month during the college\u2019s commencement ceremony.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have endured and conquered the challenges of this program and of life,\u201d said class valedictorian Sylvia Espinosa during her address. \u201cNursing is like riding a bike — except the bike and everything around you is on fire.\u201d\"TSTC<\/a><\/p>\n

Espinosa ended her speech with a huge thank you to her instructor, classmates, and friends and family.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a special bond that this class shares,\u201d she said. \u201cAlong with the support from instructors and my family, this is what helped me get through nursing school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Salutatorian Miranda Rodriguez shared the same sentiment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,\u201d said Rodriguez. \u201cBut all of this was only achievable because of the support from my classmates, instructors and especially my family. This is as much your celebration as it is ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

For many, however, the light at the end of the tunnel is really a new beginning. When TSTC\u2019s registered nursing program begins in the fall, some of the students will be returning to earn an associate degree in nursing, a path that is all too familiar to guest speaker, registered nurse and TSTC alumna Sarah Rodriguez.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome to the fellowship of nurses. We are an elite association who have and will dedicate our lives to others,\u201d Rodriguez told the graduates. \u201cBut it\u2019s also the time to become lifelong learners. Don\u2019t let the momentum stop. Celebrate your achievement tonight, but expand your knowledge beginning tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez is from the TSTC vocational nursing class of 2012. She received her bachelor\u2019s degree in nursing in 2014 and currently is working on her master\u2019s degree to become a nurse practitioner. She is employed with Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco.<\/p>\n

The capping and pinning ceremony also included a candle lighting ceremony, the reading of the nursing Nightingale Pledge, a presentation of Vocational Nursing Club officer awards, and special recognitions for the class\u2019 top students.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so proud of my students, and I\u2019m honored to be celebrating them tonight,\u201d said Hinojosa-Vassberg. \u201cThis is a challenging career, but they have all worked very hard to get to where they are today.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information on TSTC\u2019s Vocational and Registered Nursing programs, visit tstc.edu.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(HARLINGEN) – Family and friends gathered at the Texas State Technical College Cultural Arts Center recently to honor and celebrate their loved ones\u2019 success during the annual TSTC Vocational Nursing Pinning Ceremony. \u201cThis is a special night full of tradition,\u201d said Nicki Cone, TSTC vice president of Instructional Support. \u201cI commend these students for choosing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-harlingen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1918"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1920,"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1918\/revisions\/1920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.tstc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}