Harford Community College Holds Pinning Ceremony for Fall Nursing Graduates

The Fall 2025 Nursing Class Pinning Ceremony for Harford Community College’s associate degree nursing graduates was held on December 16 at the Amoss Center in Bel Air.

The event was hosted by the College’s Division of Nursing and Allied Health Professions with Dr. Amanda Girardi, PhD, RN, CNE, and Dr. Rebecca Diaz, Directors for Nursing Education; and Dr. Ashley Meisel, Dean for Nursing and Allied Health Professions.

Congratulatory remarks were offered by Dr. Theresa B. Felder, Harford Community College President. Full-time nursing faculty Lena Alban, MS, RN, CNE, read the names of the graduates. Full-time nursing faculty Deanna Garza, MSN, RN, CNS, and Faith Andrews, DNP, RN, CNE, presented the pins and full-time nursing faculty Mary Kate Wiegand, MSN RN, CNE, CCRN, and Nursing Student Success & Remediation Specialist Sarah Holler, MSN, MS, RN, CCRN, handed the lamps to the graduates. Full-time nursing faculty Shana Skeffrey, MS, RN, led the graduates and all nurses in the audience as they recited the International Council of Nurses’ Pledge. Clinical nursing faculty Lyla Lough, BSN, RN, and Pamela Sanderson, BSN, RN, PCCN, presented roses to the graduates. Madilyn Kelly was the graduating class speaker.

In addition to nursing uniforms worn by all graduates, members of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society and the Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society wore special cords to designate their membership. Three students received recognition awards: Julianna Kraft received the Spalding Leadership Award – Art of Nursing and Nicholas Middleton received the Spalding Leadership Award – Science of Nursing. Mackenzie Cogdill received the Maryland Nurses Association District 7 Leadership Award.

The nursing students who were pinned during the ceremony included Hailey Acton, Amanda Benningfield, Kelly Biles, Sadye Blevins, Katherine Campbell, Mackenzie Cogdill, Rayna Conetta, Sharron “Ronnie” Crippens, Meagan Daugherty, Cailey Etchison, Jessica Mae Ferstermann,  Sarah Filkil, Kristen Flosser,  Sherry Ann Gagne, Delaney Guido, Margot Guston, Khuma Malla Hamal, Cloey Herring, Tayonia Jordan, Madilyn Kelly, Kari Knepp,  Fattima Konneh,  Julianna Kraft, Elizabeth Long, Nicholas Middleton, Annita Mutisya, Lexie Mwangi, Sophia Myers, Bethany Oliver, Mary Elaine Preston,  Laura Rice, Lakyia Richardson, Monica Saez, Shelby Sahady, Paige Schneider, Annabelle Schultz, Sofie Sirusas, Kelsey Erin Smith, LaKisha D. Smith, and Kayla Zellous.

Longtime Harford Community College nursing scholarship donors Dr. David & Alena Schwaber established an endowment that will fund nursing scholarships at Harford in perpetuity. The endowed scholarships are awarded to nursing students beginning their third semester in the Nursing AS program of study who are enrolled at least half-time and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0+. A total of 20 students, 10 in the fall semester and 10 in the spring semester, will be awarded and known as Schwaber Scholars and are recognized by wearing a royal blue chord at their pinning ceremony. Fall 2025 Schwaber Scholars include Sarah Filkil, Sherry Ann Gagne, Madilyn Kelly, Sophia Myers, and Sofie Sirusas.

Photo credit: Ujen Jonchhe, Harford Community College
Pictured: Harford Community College’s fall 2025 associate degree nursing graduates