The pinning ceremony for Indiana University East nursing graduates on Friday, May 10, begins at 2 p.m. with a slide show followed by the ceremony at 2:30 p.m. The annual ceremony for nursing students will be held at the Ligthhouse Assembly of God, located at 2339 West Cart Road in Richmond.

Graduates will receive their pin to wear for commencement which will be held that night at 6 p.m. at the Richmond High School Tiernan Center. Also at this ceremony, nursing awards will be given to students. This year, 93 nursing students will graduate with Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.

Dean of the School of Nursing Karen Clark said, “This year’s class is the largest number of graduates for the School of Nursing. Through increased enrollment in our traditional BSN program and our enrollment in our five RN to BSN sites as well as online availability of this option, we are graduating increasing numbers of BSN prepared nurses who will positively impact the health care of the citizens where they work and live.”

Jodie Engelhardt, Guilford, Ind., is the RN to BSN nominee and Jaime Erbse, Richmond, Ind., is the BSN nominee for the Elizabeth Grossman Award. Each year Elizabeth Grossman, former dean of the Indiana University School of Nursing, recognizes a student from each program who has maintained the highest Nursing Grade Point Average (NGPA) on all IU campuses. These students will be placed in a pool with other IU students with the highest NGPA and the winner will receive a small cash award and an award certificate.  The overall winners will be announced later.

The School of Nursing will recognize the students who received outstanding awards during the Honors Convocation held April 25. Sherry West, New Point, Ind., was the recipient of the Chancellor’s Scholar Award. Stacia Richardson, Richmond, Ind., received the Outstanding Bachelor of Science in Nursing Student Award and Kevin Reed, Brookville, Ohio, received the Outstanding RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Student Award.

During the pinning ceremony, students inducted to the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, Alpha Chapter, will be recognized. Bachelor of Science in Nursing student inductees to the honor society are Koren Blankley, Union City, Ohio, Courtney Coon, Connersville, Ind., Courtney Drees, Versailles, Ohio, Jodi Engelhardt, Guilford, Ind., Jaime Erbse, Richmond, Ind., Hannah Fenker, New Castle, Ind., Lisa Hartman, Osgood, Ind., Kristi Henderson, Cambridge City, Ind., Chassity Howard, Rushville, Ind., Natalie Koditk, Richmond, Ind., Jamie Krauss, Greendale, Ind., Amanda Kurtz, Liberty, Ind., Beverly McCord-Thornburg, Winchester, Ind., Courtney McCracken, Hagerstown, Ind., Melissa Nichols, Lawrenceburg, Ind., Stacia Richardson, Richmond, Ind., Rebekah Ross, Richmond, Ind., Clayton Siegrist, Winchester, Ind., Jaime Lyn Shuler, Richmond, Ind., Angelina Stuart, Eaton, Ohio, and Hamid Zakaeifar, Richmond, Ind.

The following IU East nursing students have been named to the “Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities & Colleges”: Tina Berhalter, Hagerstown, Ind., Courtney Drees, Versailles, Ohio, Natalie Koditek, Richmond, Ind., Laura McCord, Richmond, Ind., Beverly McCord-Thornburg, Winchester, Ind., Stacia Richardson, Richmond, Ind., Rebekah Ross, Richmond, Ind., and Clayton Siegrist, Winchester, Ind.

For more information, contact the School of Nursing at (765) 973-8213 or visit iue.edu/nursing. For more information, visit iue.edu/commencement.