The nursing program at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College recently honored its top graduates at the 2022 fall semester pinning ceremony.
Raegan Clack from Leesburg received the South Georgia Medical Center Dedication to Nursing award, and Janeth Ovalle from Douglas received the Clinical Excellence award presented by Tift Regional Medical Center.
Montana Goodman from Fitzgerald received the Academic Excellence award, presented by Colquitt Regional Medical Center, and Morgan Thomas from Leesburg received the Phoebe Putney Clinical Excellence award.
Rebecca Butler from Hazlehurst, Auryelle Wade from Bainbridge, and Leah Shoniker from Tifton received the Lisa Purvis Allison Spirit of Nursing award, Shoniker for the A.S.N. traditional track in Tifton, Wade for the A.S.N. traditional track in Bainbridge, and Butler for the R.N.-B.S.N track.
The Dedication to Nursing Award is given in honor of the nurses both past and present for their hard work and dedication to excellence at South Georgia Medical Center. The Clinical Excellence Awards recognize students who demonstrated excellence in evidence-based clinical practice and patient-centered care. The Academic Excellence Award goes to the graduate with the highest cumulative grade point average.
The Spirit of Nursing Award honors the memory of Lisa Purvis Allison who began the nursing program at ABAC as a single parent of two children following the accidental death of her husband. Despite being diagnosed with colon cancer during her final year in the nursing program, Allison completed her degree, passed her state board exam, and became a Registered Nurse. She passed away soon after accomplishing her goal. A scholarship fund in her honor was developed to assist students in fulfilling their dreams of becoming nurses.
A total of 58 students (47 Tifton and 11 Bainbridge) received associate degree pins, and 18 students received bachelor’s degree pins at the ceremony. The 2023 spring semester begins at ABAC on Jan. 9, 2023.