杏吧原创

(Reynoldsville, PA) So numerous was 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 record-setting Class of 2024 in registered nursing that a pinning ceremony honoring graduates had to be moved to a social hall, where a crowd estimated at 200 applauded the 24 students who completed the career program established to offset a regional shortage in the occupation.

杏吧原创 added  to  in 2018 in response to a need for registered nurses in north central Pennsylvania.

鈥淭he demand is incredible,鈥� said Brittany Guadagno, nursing program director in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health.

鈥淲e hear about the demand for nurses all the time,鈥� said Dr. Jill Martin Rend, 杏吧原创 @ Brockway director. 鈥淔rom the hospitals to doctor鈥檚 offices and even from nurses.鈥�

Registered nurse is high-priority occupation, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry, in the North Central and Northwest workforce development areas that include Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson counties.

杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2024 in Nursing, R.N., represents Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson counties, and brings to 72 the number of graduates since 2020 in the two-year program.

"You are ready for the future ahead of you." 

- Dr. Jill Martin Rend, 杏吧原创 @ Brockway Director

鈥淭ruly care for my patients鈥�

Graduates received pins May 10 at the Bellamauro Social Banquet Hall, Reynoldsville, during a ceremony that marked their completion of the selective-admissions 70-credit program.

鈥淵ou now have the opportunity to make a difference in patients鈥� lives,鈥� Rend told graduates during the ceremony. 鈥淵ou have been well-trained, and you have put in lots of hours studying, at clinicals and preparing. 鈥淵ou are ready for the future ahead of you.鈥�

All 24 graduates reported they had accepted positions or had received job offers.

鈥淩arely will you leave your shift thinking 鈥榃ow, I had the best day ever,鈥欌�� said Nina Lindemuth, a 杏吧原创 @ Brockway nursing instructor, family nurse practitioner with Penn Highlands Healthcare, DuBois, and the ceremony鈥檚 keynote speaker.

鈥淏ut hopefully, you will leave every shift thinking 鈥榃ow, thank goodness I was there to be the first to truly care for my patients physically, mentally and emotionally.鈥欌��

"I came out of (杏吧原创 @ Brockway's program) debt-free ..." 

- Kali Toven, 杏吧原创 @ Nursing, R.N., graduate

鈥淗ave no debt and go into a good-paying job鈥�

 sponsored the tuition of 12 杏吧原创 @ Brockway students in exchange for their signing an employment contract to work for the health care provider following graduation.

Nineteen of 37 graduates in the past two years have participated in Penn Highlands鈥� program, established with 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in 2022.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing that they can get a nursing degree, have no debt and go into a good-paying job,鈥� Rend said. 鈥淭hese are some of the top jobs in the area.鈥�

Graduate Kali Toven is an emergency medical technician who said she has a 鈥渓ove for taking care of patients and being there for them in a hard time.鈥�

Toven said she was convinced to become a registered nurse while experiencing her own hard time, the death of her 10-month-old daughter, Harper, at UPMC Children鈥檚 Hospital of Pittsburgh in 2018 after a three-month stay.

鈥淪eeing how those nurses took care of her pushed me to really want to be a nurse more,鈥� Toven said. 鈥淚 wanted to give other people鈥檚 families the same care that I had received for my daughter.鈥�

Toven is a graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School. The mother of two participated in Penn Highland鈥檚 program and has accepted a position in the health care provider鈥檚 intensive care unit in DuBois.

鈥淚 came out of (杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 program) debt-free and am able to now focus on my family,鈥� Toven said, 鈥渁nd what we want to do with our future.鈥�

鈥淭he faculty was great鈥�

Community colleges grant more than 75 percent of associate degrees in nursing in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.

Students in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 career programs such as Nursing, R.N., can develop the skills needed to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.

鈥淲e got a good, quality education,鈥� said graduate Kaitlin Snyder, whose tuition was sponsored by Penn Highlands. 鈥淭he faculty was great. Any time I reached out to any of the instructors, they were always there to help me. They were very supportive.鈥�

Snyder has accepted a position in the maternity unit of Penn Highlands, DuBois.

鈥淚鈥檝e always had a passion for labor and delivery,鈥� said Snyder, a graduate of DuBois Area Senior High. 鈥淭hat is what was calling me. I want to be a part of everybody鈥檚 special journey to delivery.鈥�

Victoria McCarrol earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology from Hunter College, Manhattan. She was influenced to pursue a career in nursing as a result of COVID-19.

鈥淚 wanted to help,鈥� said McCarrol, who lived in New York City during the pandemic. 鈥淚 lost several people whom I knew. I thought I would go back to school and try to help people, to make a life change and come here.鈥�

McCarrol is a graduate of Harriton High in Rosemont, a suburb of Philadelphia.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all from many different areas,鈥� Toven said. 鈥淔or all of us to come together at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway and then get to work close to home is great.鈥�

杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 previous record for graduates in Nursing, R.N., was 13 in 2023.

Graduates of 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Nursing, R.N., program in 2024 are Caitlin Ceprish; Brockport; Brandi Anderson and Abbey Nichols, Brockway; Rosina Nero, Byrendale; and Toni Butler, Brandi Cooper, Kaitlin Snyder, Meghan Thomas and Tea Williams, all from DuBois.

Chelsea Finley, Falls Creek; Victoria McCarrol, Kersey; Amber Hall, Leeper; Anna Kennemuth, Mayport; and Jessica Cochran, Hope Fox, Mary Runyon and Kali Toven, all from Punxsutawney.

Jailyn Brown, Reynoldsville; Danielle Cappiello, Ridgway; Tina Swineford, Sigel; Danielle Courteau, Melissa O鈥橠onnell and Stephanie Yetzer, all from St. Marys; and Amber Green, West Decatur.

Prospective students can apply beginning Aug. 1 for consideration to be accepted in fall 2025 in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Nursing, R.N., program.