May 13, 2025
Ninety-five Pearl River Community College students were honored at pinning ceremonies on Wednesday, May 7, for completing the Associate Degree of Nursing program—the largest graduating class in the college’s history. Joyful celebrations rang through the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts, where graduates were cheered on by an energetic and supportive crowd.
Brandi Linares, Dean of Associate Degree Nursing Education, welcomed those in attendance, including family and friends of the graduates, faculty members, and special guest Sandra Culpepper, a graduate of PRCC’s Practical Nursing program and current President of the Mississippi Board of Nursing. She also thanked the nursing administrative staff and PRCC Administration for their support of the program.
“This ceremony marks a significant milestone in the lives of our graduates,” said Linares. “These graduates have successfully completed a very rigorous and challenging program. Graduates, congratulations on your incredible achievement and today we celebrate all your hard work.”
At the morning pinning for Forrest County Campus graduates, eight students were honored with different awards. Audry Chanie Blalock received the Spring 2025 Mississippi School of Nursing Scholarship. Kelly Bond (traditional ADN program) and Blalock (LPN to ADN program, day), and Marquitta Sims (LPN to ADN program, evening) were recognized for Academic Excellence. Yolanda Moore (traditional ADN program), Crystal Collins (LPN to ADN program, day), and Leah Prentiss (LPN to ADN program, evening) were recognized for Dedication to Patient Care. Ebony Cockrell and Meagan Wynne were presented with a Hannah Laborde Memorial Scholarship.
Forrest County Class President Hequinn Fox spoke on behalf of the cohort. He extended appreciation to the nursing faculty and staff as well as family and friends who supported them.
“This program has provided us with a lifetime of memories and lifelong friendships,” said Fox. “The impact of the faculty will forever hold a special place in our hearts.
“This moment still seems surreal. After two grueling years, we can finally say we have completed this marathon. Nursing school is not impossible, but it is very challenging.”
During the afternoon pinning for Poplarville Campus graduates, six students were honored with different awards. Gabrielle Carco (traditional ADN program), Britany Pinac (LPN to ADN program, day), and Kiara Foxworth (LPN to ADN program, evening) were recognized for Academic Excellence. Kaytlyn Parker (traditional ADN program), Pinac (LPN to ADN program, day), and Seth McCain (LPN to ADN program, evening) were recognized for Dedication to Patient Care. Sophie Heurtin was presented with the Hannah Laborde Memorial Scholarship.
Poplarville Campus Class President Braxton Hatten spoke on behalf of the cohort. He thanked God, family and friends, and the faculty for their support throughout their time in nursing school. Then he addressed his classmates who also impacted each other’s experience in the program.
“Week after week, we were tested mentally, emotionally, and physically; yet somehow we always found a way to push through,” said Hatten. “We also discovered faith in ourselves that we didn’t know we had, we saw things we never expected to see, and we learned things that we never thought we would understand. We gave this program everything that we have, and now we’re here.”
The Nightingale Pledge was led by Jaila Parker for the morning pinning and Hailey Roberts for the afternoon pinning. The pledge is named after Florence Nightingale, considered the founder of modern nursing, and is a modified form of the Hippocratic Oath. All registered nurses in the audience were invited to join the graduates in reciting the pledge, with dozens answering the call.
The presentation of pins to the graduates included the reading of dedication cards as they had their pins placed and accepted their lamp. Several graduates received their pin from a family member who is also a graduate of the PRCC ADN program.
Seven graduates were given cords in recognition of their membership in the Mississippi Organization for Students of ADN (MOSA) for one year of service with at least 50 community service credits. Fourteen graduates earned a medallion, having completed two years of service and a minimum of 100 community service credits.
MOSA is the only state chapter for students in the nation with the PRCC chapter participating in numerous educational, recruitment, and community activities. Yolanda Moore from the Forrest County Campus led the chapter for this cohort.
The ceremonies ended with the lighting of lamps and a recessional of the graduates to the lobby where they could begin their individual celebrations with family and friends.
Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society of Nursing
Earlier in the morning, Kelly Bond, Gabrielle Carco, Stacy Christopher, Ayriana Culpepper, Hequinn Fox, Hannah Melendez, and Hailey Roberts were inducted into the Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society of Nursing. Held in Malone Chapel, the ceremony included an opportunity for students to reflect upon what sustained them on their journey as nursing students.
Three separate capstone projects were completed by the inductees. Carco, Christopher, and Melendez worked together to model how to present yourself at clinicals. Culpepper and Roberts addressed expectations for the LPN to ADN Bridge Program. Bond and Fox addressed the issue of mental health with Level 2 nursing students. All presentations were recorded to be used with future nursing students,
The opening prayer was given by Melendez, Culpepper shared the history of the honor society, and Christopher provided the closing prayer. Inductees were presented with a pin and cords by nursing faculty members Mrs. Anna Busby, Mrs. Amy Esslinger, and Mrs. Cindy Skinner.
Spring 2025 Associate Degree of Nursing Graduates, Forrest County Campus
Brytani Albritton ** (Rochester, NY), Tracy Anaya (Hattiesburg), Avegail Avila (Vancouver, WA), Jacob Reed Barlow (Florence), Audry Chanie Blalock (Hattiesburg), Kelly Bond**+ (Purvis), Dakota Burney (Florence), Kala Causey (Leakesville), Ebony Cockrell** (Ruleville), Crystal Collins (Leakesville), Myeisha Conerly (Tylertown), Loren Courtney (Hattiesburg), Breana Deem (Poplarville), Kevona Elliott (Portsmouth, VA), Hequinn Fox*+ (Hattiesburg), Joshua Franklin (Petal), Araseli Gonzalez-Perez* (Hattiesburg), Emily Hartfield (Carnes), Lakeisha Johnson (Columbus), Annie Maddox (Magee), Kelsey Manning (Ellisville), Ebony McCullum (Collins), Harley McKnight (Liberty), Carl Michael (Sumrall), Yolanda Moore** (Hattiesburg), Ja’Tifah Newton** (Prentiss), Jaila Parker (Hattiesburg), Megan Parker (Seminary), Leah Prentiss (Runnelstown), Sondreia Rogers (Petal), Luke Sanders (Prentiss), Marquitta Sims (New Augusta), Alexis Smith (Natchez), LaBrittany Triplett (Louisville), Jasmyne Vaughn* (Petal), Brooke Wheat** (Petal), Kameara Whitlock** (Collins), Christian Woolbright (Brooklyn), Meagan Wynne* (Richland), and Alexandria Young (Purvis).
Spring 2025 Associate Degree of Nursing Graduates, Poplarville Campus
Emily Bates (Slidell, LA), Paris Bauer (Carriere), Tykira Bouldin** (Mendenhall), Erroll Bowser Jr.* (Los Angeles, CA), Bethany Boyd (Angie, LA), Hanna Bratcher (Hammond, LA), Allison Brauner (Picayune), Nicholas Buras (Chalmette, LA), Gabrielle Carco*+ (Bay St. Louis), Gavin Carroll (Carriere), Taylor Carroll (Kenner, LA), Gabrielle Carter (Biloxi), Stacy Christopher**+ (Diamondhead), Hannah Coleman (Bay St. Louis), Brooklyn Compton (Kiln), Ayriana Culpepper**+ (Franklinton, LA), Maggie Culver (Sumrall), Elizabeth Downin (Poplarville), Allison Duhon (Slidell, LA), Kiara Foxworth** (Columbia), Braxton Hatten (Picayune), Sophie Heurtin (Foxworth), LeAnn Holmes (Foxworth), Keyuna Howard (Waynesboro), Jasmine Irvin* (Picayune), Molli Rae Kinchen (Tickfaw, LA), Adriana Ladner (Necaise), Jada Lindsey (Carriere), Kristi Loftin (Foxworth), Kamecia Love (Hattiesburg), Emma MacFarlane (Bay St. Louis), Seth McCain (Columbia), Aniya McGowan (Lumberton), Hannah Melendez+ (Bush, LA), Tiffany Mitchell (Carriere), Caitlin Morris (Brooklyn), Luke Oldmixon (Picayune), Georgia Olson (Foxworth), Terika Owens (Slidell, LA), Kaytlyn Parker** (Lucedale), Brittany Perez (Slidell, LA), Britany Pinac (Madisonville, LA), Jakeasia Pittman (Picayune), Brooke Plaisance (New Orleans, LA), Anna Rehmann (Slidell, LA), Sarah Reid (Bogalusa, LA), Hailey Roberts**+ (Bogalusa, LA), Brittany Ruiz (Picayune), Cynthia Schilling (Franklinton, LA), Kelly Spencer (Covington, LA), Alexis Stogner (Poplarville), Katherine Stringer (Foxworth), Kelli Tate** (Angie, LA), Audriana Taylor (Foxworth), Emma Vise (Franklinton, LA), and Miranda Waisanen (Carriere).
* Mississippi Organization for Students of ADN (MOSA) Cord & Medallion: 1- year member with 50+ community service credits
** Mississippi Organization for Students of ADN (MOSA) Cord & Medallion: 2- year member with 100+ community service credits
+ Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society of Nursing
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Article by Laura O’Neill. Photography by Lauren Johnson and River Roderick.
