Continuing its commitment to meeting the growing demand for skilled health care professionals, Western Dakota Technical College honored 28 Practical Nursing students and 16 Registered Nursing students during a pinning ceremony on December 19, recognizing their completion of rigorous nursing programs.
Receiving pins is a traditional symbolic welcoming of nursing graduates into the Nursing career.
Practical Nursing (PN) graduates and their hometowns: Harib Sami Al Tamimi, Rapid City; Makenna Archer, Rapid City; Autumn Berg, Rapid City; Brandon Coulter, Rapid City; Magdalena (Lena) Curtis, Whitewood; Halla Easton, Rapid City; Sarah Fortier, Rapid City; Ava Fossen, Great Falls, Mont.; Tyra Fugate, Kadoka; Lillian Goudeau, Rapid City; Mikeline Jean, Lehigh Acres, Fla.; Brooklyn Johnson, Rapid City; Ariana Judd, Piedmont; Amy Kjellerson, Box Elder; Ashlee Nelson, Rapid City; Bethrand Nnaji, Rapid City; Taylor Pfitzer, Rapid City; Mariah Ratliff, Rapid City; Brandon Riphenburg, Chinook, Mont.; Mia Rivera, Rapid City; Alivia Ruff, Spearfish; Mackinzie Ryan, Rapid City; Crimson Scherer, Gillette, Wyo.; Dorian Swanson, Rapid City; Hannah Thorson, Rapid City; Brooke Tigert, Rapid City; Cassidy Wilson, Lake Andes; Jessycka Zaldivar, Rapid City.
Registered Nursing (RN) graduates, and their hometowns: Teresa Bieri, Rapid City; Joshua Blackham, Philip; Abigail Collins, Rapid City; Carly DeRuyter, Rapid City; Amber Donovan, Box Elder; Steven Dumovich, Rapid City; Jessalyn Lopez-Lewis, Spearfish; Christina Mathis, Hot Springs; Shelby McCarty, Spearfish; Rachel Perkins, Gillette, Wyo.; Amy Timm, Box Elder; Raven Vaughn, Sturgis; Aly Venegas, Rapid City; Angie Weidenbach, Rapid City; Patricia Wiles, Rapid City; and Joshua Williamson, Hot Springs.
RN Student award winners:- Academic Excellence – Amy Timm
- Clinical Excellence – Patricia Wiles
PN Student award winners:
- Academic Excellence - Brandon Coulter
- Clinical Excellence - Autumn Berg
Nurse Pinning event student speakers:
-RN Student Speaker – Patricia Wiles
-PN Student Speaker – Brandon Riphenburg
The Nursing Pledge was led by Nursing Faculty member Keeryn Hare, BSN, RN.
Presentation of Pins was by Nursing Faculty members Danielle Beaulieu, MSN, RN; Suzanne Brandt, BSN, RN; Kristen Hybertson, MSN, RN; Melissa McMillen, MSN, RN; and Christina Zweber, MSN, RN.
The ceremony welcome was provided by Kristen Hybertson, MSN, RN, Director of Nursing. Krista Kirst, Director of Medical Simulation, provided Opening Remarks. Kendra Ericson, Ph.D., MSN, WDTC President, delivered the closing remarks.
The Pinning Ceremony video and additional photos are available at https://www.facebook.com/westerndakotatech.
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Top photo - Practical Nursing graduates and faculty; Bottom photo: Registered Nursing graduates and faculty.
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About Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC) was established in 1968 and is the only technical college serving the western South Dakota region.
WDTC offers nearly 40 programs in a variety of fields, including Business and Computers, Construction and Manufacturing, Energy and Environmental Technologies, Health Sciences, Legal and Public Services, and Transportation Technologies.
One hundred percent of Western Dakota Technical College's most recent graduates are working, continuing their education, or are enlisted in the military per the WDTC 2024 Placement Report. There were 249 respondents out of 286 graduates surveyed. [*Placement information is derived from graduate surveys, faculty-collected data, placement surveys started six months after graduation, and the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation. Overall placement rate is figured by: (responding graduates employed, continuing education, or in military service)/(responding graduates who are seeking employment). The number of program graduates are unduplicated by CIP code.]
Western Dakota Technical College faculty, staff, and administration focus their efforts on helping students gain the skills and experiences they need to succeed. Through hands-on learning, internships, and industry partnerships, Western Dakota Tech students graduate ready to make a real and immediate contribution to their employers and to their communities.
For information about WDTC, call (800) 544-8765 or (605) 718-2565 or send an email to Admissions@wdt.edu. Visit us on the web at wdt.edu.
