SBVC Nursing Program Celebrates Largest-Ever Graduating Class
During SBVC’s Nurse Pinning Ceremony on December 13th, a record 59 graduates crossed the stage to receive their pins, prepared to leave the classroom and start making a difference in the lives of patients across the Inland Empire and globally.
Having this big of a graduating class - the largest in the program's history, with double the typical number of students - would not have been possible without the hard work of the faculty and former Associate Dean of Allied Health and Nursing Director, Yolanda Simental, who retired in June.
The ceremony took place in the SBVC Auditorium, which was packed with proud family and friends who filled every seat. A keynote speech was delivered by Simental, along with remarks from graduate Jaena Sparks. "Being chosen as the student speaker at the pinning ceremony was an incredible honor," Sparks said. "It felt like the culmination of years of hard work, late nights and endless challenges. I wanted to speak not just for myself, but for every graduate in the room."
The highlight of the evening was when the graduates received their pins, a symbol of their promotion from student to professional nurse. This was also the first time in SBVC history that students were able to choose who pinned them, with the honor going to relatives, spouses, friends, and professors.
