Sanford Regional Technical Center held its Health Occupations Pinning Ceremony at the Sanford Performing Arts Center Wednesday, May 13, celebrating 56 students who have achieved a significant milestone in their healthcare education journey.
The pinning ceremony is a time-honored tradition in nursing education, symbolizing a student's formal welcome into the healthcare profession.
SRTC Director Matt Petermann addressed the graduates, reminding them that the credential they earned is more than a certification. "The credential you earned is not a piece of paper," he said. "It's proof of something, proof that when things got hard, you stayed, proof that you have the temperament, the skill and the heart to do the work that most people couldn't do on their best day."
SRTC Health Occupations instructors Shawnda Williams and Kelly Romagnoli were recognized throughout the evening for guiding the students through the program. Romagnoli, a first-year instructor, reflected on how far the students had come since the group first gathered at the start of the school year, recalling the pride of watching students grow into confident caregivers. "Watching these great kids grow has been so much fun," she said. "I see their openness to try new things, take on challenges and push themselves to be better."
Romagnoli was celebrated throughout the evening for her contributions to the program, praised for stepping in seamlessly and rising to every challenge. "We could not have accomplished what we did this year if she had not come," said Williams.
Williams also spoke to the demands of the work the graduates are stepping into. "Healthcare is not easy work," she said. "Caring for others requires patience, compassion, responsibility, skill, and most of all, heart. And you all brought it to the table."
A highlight of the evening was the recognition of the meaningful relationships students built during their clinical hours at both Pinnacle Health and Rehab and Summer Commons in Sanford. A special moment came when Barb Goodwin, a resident at Summer Commons and a former CNA herself, joined the ceremony on stage, offering a connection between the program's newest graduates and the long tradition of nursing they are entering.
Each student had the opportunity to choose who would pin them, whether a parent, friend, or teacher, a personal touch that reflected the support systems that carried them through the year. SRTC student Ashlynne Hitchens chose her mother. "She's always been my biggest supporter," Hitchens said, "and I wouldn't be where I am today" without her.
Congratulations to the following graduates:
Shawnda Williams, RN BSN MSN-FNP
AM Students: Whitney Borenstein, Olive Chase, Madison Evans, Ryleigh Guy, Marlee Hazel, Ashlynne Hitchens, Nettie McCrum, Ava Mourgeños, Yashvi Patel, Lily Piper, Belinda Rivard, Paige Souder, Veerasak Sunvean
PM Students: Lydia Cleaves, Hannah Dollins, Myla Dumont, Edie Minimas, Delia Morris, Coreena Picard, Peyton Raymond, Aubrey Reynolds, Mckayla Richards, Olivia Short, Amiah Sosa, Mackenzie Tennant, Emma Walker
Kelly Romagnoli, RN BSN
AM Students: Carly Burrows, Marielle Christiansen, Sydney Cyr, Zoe Davidson, Rorie Ford, Elisia Horan, Samantha Latchaw, Ryleigh Linscott, Shelby Mitchell, Tabitha McCury, Suami Nicolau, Kaidden Robinson, Morgan Ryan, Kylie Spaulding, Hannah Tuttle
PM Students: Aesa Brock, Emily Bruce, Arianna Chaparro, Amaya Conte, Jolie Folger, Isabella Garneau, Kayleigh Hankin, Sophia Houle, Isabella Jimenez, Sydney Lanouette, Olivia Neville, Braden Sims, McKenzy Sposato, Kaitlyn Stuart