August 8, 2024
Family and friends came together in the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts to support their loved ones as Pearl River Community College recognized 22 Associate Degree of Nursing graduates at a pinning ceremony on Monday, August 5. The evening provided an opportunity to celebrate the graduates while recognizing the hard work it took to complete the three-semester LPN to ADN Bridge Program.
Graduates were congratulated for their accomplishments by Executive Vice President for Instruction/Provost Dr. Martha Smith on behalf of the faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees.
“You’ve chosen a career that is full of possibilities,” Smith said. “We encourage you to remember this part of the journey that you’ve struggled through; never fail to be the village for someone else.”
Haley Booker from the Forrest County Campus and Brandi Terlingo from the Poplarville Campus are honored with the Academic Excellence Award. The Dedication to Patient Care Awards were presented to Brooke Gaines from the Forrest County Campus and Brandie Reeves from the Poplarville Campus.
During the pinning ceremony, each student had their dedication card read aloud. Through these, they were able to express their gratitude to those that helped them reach the finish line.
The invocation, led by Reeves, included a moment of silence for those loved ones who have died. Forrest County Campus student Rachel Riley led the newly pinned students in reciting the Nightingale Pledge.
Remarks from the class were shared by Forrest County Campus student Stephanie Creel.
“Being a nurse is a calling for all of us; it is truly an honor to care for another person,” said Creel. “As Maya Angelou said, as a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the mind, soul, heart and body of our patients. They may forget our name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
LPN to ADN Program and How to Apply
LPN–ADN Evening Bridge students are listed alphabetically with hometown in parentheses.
Oleg Baleyev (Long Beach), Haley Booker** (Hattiesburg), Jordan Boss (Leakesville), Sean Copeland (Purvis), Stephanie Creel (Laurel), Lisa Disbrow (Columbia), Melissa Franzen** (Hattiesburg), Brooke Gaines** (Hattiesburg), Ashley Holmbeck** (Hattiesburg), Caitlin Hughes (Columbia), Destiney Lloyd** (Brookhaven), Marissa McArthur (Purvis), Patricia McCullum (Ellisville), Makiessa Moffett (Mize), Brandie Reeves (New Orleans, LA), Rachel Riley** (Lucedale), Paige Rogers* (Hattiesburg), Brandi Terlingo (Slidell, LA), Jermyia Walker** (Magee), Bailey Walters** (Oak Grove), Kyashia Wilcox (Covington, LA), and Shelby Windham** (Petal.)
* Mississippi Organization for Students of ADN (MOSA) Cord – 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
Both daytime and nighttime options for the LPN–ADN Bridge program are available. A separate application must be completed after acceptance as a PRCC student. Applications for Spring 2025 entry into the LPN–ADN Day Bridge program are open and close on October 1. Summer 2025 start date for LPN–ADN Evening Bridge and Fall 2025 entry for LPN–ADN Day Bridge will be open from January 1 – March 1.
All steps for applying to the program can be found at
prcc.edu/academics/health-sciences-nursing/associate-degree-nursing/how-to-apply/.
For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), Facebook (@PRCCMKTG), and TikTok (@prcc_wildcats).
Article and photography by Laura O’Neill.
