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Lander Department of Nursing Honors Top Graduates

Seven students were honored recently when Lander University's William Preston Turner Department of Nursing held its annual Nursing Recognition Ceremony as a prelude to the university's May graduation.

Jessica Suber Hall of Whitmire was the recipient of the Faculty Award of Excellence and the Janet A. Sipple Scholarship. The Faculty Award of Excellence is awarded to a graduating nursing student who demonstrates the greatest promise of making significant contributions to the profession of nursing. The student must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0, and be active in student nurses' activities, including departmental committees. The Janet A. Sipple Scholarship is named for a former chair of the Lander Nursing Department. The award is presented to a graduating senior who shows potential for graduate study in nursing and whose goals in nursing are consistent with graduate preparation. Hall also received the Barbara T. Freese Scholarly Development Award, which is given by nursing faculty to a senior nursing major with a cumulate GPA of at least 3.3 and who is enrolled in honors study.

Brynna Rinehart of Newberry was selected to receive the Clinical Excellence Award for outstanding clinical practice, client-centered care, innovation in nursing care and practice, and demonstration of management and problem solving skills.

The Professional Nursing Award was given to Allison Rutland of Greenwood. The award is given to a student who represents leadership qualities in the practice of professional nursing.

Receiving the Nursing Leadership Award given by Self Regional Healthcare, was Shirolyn Johnson of Irmo. The award is given to a student who demonstrates emerging ability to advance the practice of professional nursing, either through creative leadership of the health care team in planning, coordinating and evaluating health care delivery, or through the use of research to solve nursing care problems.

Sarah Hartenburg of Walterboro was the recipient of the Professional Development Award, which is given to a Lander nursing student who shows substantial professional growth and development.

The Lydia W. Parrish Scholarship, established in 2002 by professor Lydia Parrish on her retirement, was awarded to Latino Alberto Rodriguez of Charleston. The scholarship is given to an RN-BSN graduating student who demonstrates potential for graduate study in nursing. Rodriguez also received the RN-BSN Discipline Award.

Tashinga Musonza of Harare, Zimbabwe, received the Prelicensure Nursing Discipline Award.

The guest speaker at the recognition ceremony was 2000 Lander nursing graduate Misty Seaborn, who has been a critical care nurse for the past 10 years with a specialty in pediatric nursing.

During the ceremony, which was held before a packed house in Lander's Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center Auditorium, Lander's Department of Nursing also awarded pins to all students graduating in the pre-licensure and RN-BSN degree programs.