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<\/a> the classroom, in clinicals and through all of the changes with online learning during the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic,\u201d said Knight. \u201cYou worked hard and sacrificed to earn a degree. You answer to a higher calling, and you dedicated your life to serving others. We are confident you will fulfill your dreams. I challenge you to dream big.\u201d<\/p>\nÂ鶹ֱ²¥ President, Dr. Jesse Smith told the graduate\u2019s family and friends in the audience that nursing education is the most important thing we do at Jones.<\/p>\n
One graduate, Juliann Nelson of Petal, lost her \u201csmile\u201d on November 18, 2020, \u201cI was defeated, and I labeled myself as a failure. I even questioned my ability to become a nurse. I felt like everything I had gone through the last few years of pursuing a life-long dream, was not enough,\u201d said Nelson. \u201cInstructors, thank you for believing in me when I didn\u2019t believe in myself. In four short months, I gained more than I ever imagined. What I thought was my biggest failure was my biggest lesson. Never let a failure define you.\u201d<\/p>\n Class of 2021 President, Anthony Daniels of Hattiesburg, encouraged his nursing graduate \u201cfamily\u201d to continue to pursue more education and \u201cbe the best nurses\u201d that they are.<\/p>\n \u201cContinue to grow and change. I challenge you to learn. Get as much knowledge as you can. No question is a stupid question. Give it all you got and help those nursing students in clinicals. Help them through those experiences. Let them see you do IV\u2019s and the cool things on the floor. I challenge you to go Several students earned special recognition during the A.D.N. Pinning Ceremony, including Daniels. He was given a Certificate of Achievement as the Nominee for the 2021 Outstanding Associate Degree Nursing Student by the Mississippi Chapter of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing. Nelson was awarded with a life-time membership in the Mississippi Nurse Organization in recognition of her work with the Student Nurse Organization and the community.<\/p>\n Three students were honored for their perfect attendance during the five-semester program: Jemyla Fenton of Meridian, Taylor Magee of Collins and Juliann Nelson of Petal. The six students who were inducted into the Nursing Honor Society, Alpha Delta Nu, Jamie Boleware-Collins, Hannah Bynum-Mendenhall, Anthony Daniels-Hattiesburg, Alyssa Mobbs-Hattiesburg, Callie Shows-Ellisville and Jeshaiah Stephens-Ellisville were also recognized during the Pinning Ceremony.<\/p>\n Per tradition, students also participated in the Lighting of the Lamp ceremony \u201cNever let your flame grow dim\u2026. Work hard, never forget where you came from, and never stop worrying. You\u2019re going to go out and make a difference wherever you are. You\u2019re going to make a difference in someone\u2019s life every day. We\u2019re proud of your success and we look forward to hearing great things about you!\u201d said Knight ending the ceremony by pinning each student with the nurses\u2019 pin, a Maltese Cross.<\/p>\n<\/a>\u201cThank you for supporting these students and thank you for believing in us and what we do at Â鶹ֱ²¥,\u201d said Smith. \u201cWe have high expectations, graduates, because you\u2019re going to be there for people at their highest moments and for their lowest moments and we expect you to do the right thing, exceptionally well. I commend you and appreciate your grit accepting the challenge during a pandemic with a smile and at those times when you weren\u2019t smiling.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a> when she failed the mid-term in her final semester of the nursing program. She shared about the special lesson she learned on her journey from recovering from failure to graduating.<\/p>\n<\/a>out and touch lives. Even on your worst days or your best days, care for those patients like they\u2019re your own. Give them all you got!\u201d said Daniels.<\/p>\n<\/a> as a symbol of the passing on of knowledge from nursing faculty to graduates. Knight reminded students that the nursing profession hallmark of the nursing practice is showing compassion for every patient.<\/p>\n