December 13, 2023
Twenty-one students who graduated from the Practical Nursing program on East Mississippi Community Scooba campus participated in a commencement ceremony that took place Wednesday, Dec. 13, in the Stennis Hall Auditorium.
EMCC Vice President of Instruction Dr. James Rush provided the welcome and confirmed the graduates. The guest speaker was Mississippi Board of Nursing Director of Practical Nursing Education Dr. Priscilla Burks.
EMCC Director of Nursing and Associate Dean of Health Sciences Jamonicia Johnson also addressed the students. Awards were presented by Practical Nursing instructors Linda Farmer, Chiquita Jones and Princess Dawkins.
Graduate Khiaria Towers was presented with the Florence Nightingale Award, which is the highest award and is presented to the student who most embodies the spirit of nursing.
Towers was also named to the National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses Honor Society, as were graduates Cantaja Finnie and Sandy Dennis.
Clinical Excellence Awards were presented to Amber Davis, Sandy Dennis and Veronica Mullins. Dennis also garnered the Academic Excellence Award.
The Practical Nursing Class of 2023 graduates are:
Jaquandria Adams of Porterville
Deja Alvin of Columbus
Natiya Brooks of Columbus
Shamiyah Brooks of Columbus
Carrie Carr of Ackerman
Ashley Clark of Meridian
Amber Davis of Macon
Sandy Dennis of Columbus
Taranecia Dowd of Columbus
Valerie Edwards of West Point
Macy Fanning of Philadelphia
Cantaja Finnie of Shannon
Alexandria Guy of Starkville
Ashley Morris of West Point
Veronica Mullins of Starkville
Jo’nai Robbins of West Point
Shakiya Slaughter of Macon
Delilah Stevenson of Macon
Diamond Stevenson of Macon
Khiaria Towers of DeKalb
Kelsey Tubby of McCool