Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) recently celebrated the graduation of 45 nursing students from the Dr. Stuart H. & Sandra K. Fine Nursing Program. This milestone honors their achievements and marks the beginning of their careers in the high-demand healthcare field.

The College hosted a special pinning ceremony at the Montco Cultural Center theater on the Blue Bell Campus. Organized by student co-chairs, Sarah Fredrickson and Danica Springfield, the event featured inspiring speakers, the presentation of nursing pins and the recitation of the nursing oath.

Following graduation, MCCC nurses are fully prepared to take the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become registered nurses. In 2024, MCCC nursing graduates’ current first-time pass rate for the NCLEX-RN exam was 93%, which exceeded the state average of 91.56% and the national average of 90.6% in all ADN programs.

Many of MCCC’s nursing graduates are employed at hospitals, physicians’ offices, clinics and other healthcare settings across Montgomery County and the region. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2024 median pay for registered nurses is more than $93,600 per year and the 10-year job growth rate is 5%, which is higher than average.

Upon successful completion of the Dr. Stuart H. & Sandra K. Fine Nursing Program and the NCLEX-RN, graduates may directly enter the workforce as registered nurses and/or seamlessly transfer to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Some of MCCC’s top transfer schools include Drexel University, Penn State University and West Chester University.

At the beginning of the pinning ceremony, Dr. Chae Sweet, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and Provost, congratulated the students and reminded them of their significant role in the care of others.

“Nursing is not merely a career; it is calling to make a positive difference in the patients who will be in your care,” said Dr. Sweet.

Following Dr. Sweet’s remarks, the keynote speaker, Sandra O’Brien, BSN, RN, Nursing instructor at MCCC, offered her congratulations and advice.

“Recognize that you can do hard things, and you can excel at them,” O’Brien said. “You proved to yourself that through dedication, commitment and determination, you can make things happen. You can accomplish things, and you will soon learn that you can transform lives.”

The graduates then individually crossed the stage to receive their pins from nursing faculty. Collectively, they recited the Nightingale Pledge, a traditional oath taken by nurses and named after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

The Summer 2025 graduating class includes Reham Abdelmoteleb; Rose Allen, Philadelphia; Madiha Amrani, Hatfield; Tiereney Barreca, Green Lane; Lindsay Beck, Souderton; West Bond, Philadelphia; Karina Broch; Kimberly Chigumira, Pottstown; Joseph Clark, Bristol; Ryan Cox; Jeremy Cruz, Norristown; Evelyn Chudick, Huntingdon Valley; Amanda Divergigelis, Philadelphia; Maryna Dmytrenko; Todd Ebersole, North Wales; Sarah Frederickson, Lansdale; Alexis Gerber; Andrew Gonzales, Lower Moreland; Madeleine Hammond, Pottstown; Karen Jenkins, Norristown; Avia Johnson, Lansdale; Jennifer Kitselis, Pine Bush, NY; Sarah Loughery, Telford; Olivia Mancini, Roxborough; Emely Martinez; Samantha Maurer, Telford; Keira McDonough, Pottstown; Emely Morais, Roxborough; Sunkyun Nam, Plymouth Meeting; Andrea Ortiz, Norristown; Kelly Palya; Iryna Popovych, Horsham; Marissa Reyes, Gilbertsville; Sarah Risinger, Philadelphia; Emily Routhier; Rebecca Savage; Carver Schildt, Plymouth Meeting; Jessica Schmitt, Abington; Valerie Schneider, Green Lane; Danica Springfield, Willow Grove; Mary Taska, East Norriton; Savannah Wagner, Royersford; Alesha Walker, Horsham; Melanie Wynn, Royersford; and Abigail Zarkoski, Trooper.

The ceremony concluded with remarks from the student speaker, West Bond, and Kyle Raczynski, MSN, RN, Interim Director of the Dr. Stuart H. & Sandra K. Fine Nursing Program.

“To my classmates, thank you. Your heart, your hustle, and your humor carried me more times than I can count,” Bond said. “We were in the trenches together, tired, exhausted and over-caffeinated, holding each other up when stress tried to take us down. So, here we are… let us move forward, not just as nurses, but as healers, advocates and change makers…Let us not forget that the world doesn’t just need more nurses, it needs more hearts.”

“Congratulations! Today, you leave with more than a pin; you leave with a purpose. This moment reflects your hard work, dedication and unwavering determination,” Raczynski said. “Through it all, you’ve shown not only your intelligence but your compassion and that will make all the difference in the lives of your patients.”