Oakton recognizes 30 nursing graduates at pinning ceremony

Thirty students completed Oakton Community College’s Nursing Program this spring and are now on their way to beginning rewarding careers in the health care field. Oakton recognized the spring 2021 nursing graduates at a drive-up pinning ceremony Monday, May 17, at the Des Plaines campus. Graduates received their pins and celebrated their success with honks and waves from
faculty, family and friends.

“Congratulations to the Class of 2021,” Margaret Gas, Nursing chair, says. “This has been a very
challenging time for our students. These inspirational graduates are entering the field when they’re needed most. Despite all the current turmoil, the pins will always identify our students as
nursing graduates from Oakton and we know they will wear them with pride.”

The complete list of graduates includes:

Hannah Abrudeanu, Des Plaines
Cindy Rios Barnes, Des Plaines
Katherine Bokina, Northbrook
Angela Brunner, Park Ridge
Rhett Buckley, Glenview
Ellen Cherkassky, Des Plaines
Sahir Chhotoo, Wilmette
Lauren Collins, Evanston
Psalm Angelo Cunanan, Niles
Cyra Doty, Northbrook
Jorge Galaviz, Des Plaines
Elena Gavriliuc, Northbrook
Myriam Harvey, Des Plaines
Gam Hauser, Des Plaines
Tianna Henry, Evanston
Audra Lawlor, Evanston
Nahrain Moshi, Niles
Sheena Kristen Nagales, Niles
Amy Neubauer, Des Plaines
Angela Nguyen, Park Ridge
Corrine Pacis, Niles
Ioana Pop, Des Plaines
Luciana Pujol, Glenview
Melissa Ramirez, Chicago
John Ezekiel See, Skokie
Adriana Sekuloska, Des Plaines
Tazneem Shaista, Des Plaines
Laura Tines, Morton Grove
Jessica Uy, Skokie
Latisha Walker, Evanston

This year’s class officers included: Lawlor (president), Buckely (vice president), Cherkassky (secretary), Doty (treasurer) and Pacis (activities director).

Gavriliuc earned distinction as the Keeper of the Light Award, which recognizes the Oakton nursing candidate who has maintained the highest grade point average throughout the nursing curriculum. She graduated with a class-high 3.82 GPA. Abrudeanu, Lawlor, Moshi, Pujol and Shaista were recognized for graduating with honors, earning a GPA between 3.50 and 3.74.

“Graduating from Oakton’s nursing program has been an intense ride,” Gavriliuc said. “Along the way, there were heartfelt and knowledgeable instructors, beneficial college support services and newly built friendships that will last for life. During the COVID pandemic, I was impressed by the instructors’ dedication to offering us the clinical experience online. Then in the following fall and spring semesters, most students were back to clinical sites, whereas other nursing programs couldn’t yet offer students clinical sites.”

The college also inducted Buckley, Galaviz, Gavriliuc, Hauser, Henry, Lawlor, Nguyen, Pop and Pujol into the Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society. The National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (N-OADN) recognizes top associate degree nursing students with membership in
Alpha Delta Nu. To be considered, students must have completed their first year of nursing, maintained a 3.0 overall GPA and earned a B or better in the core nursing courses. Students also must demonstrate conduct on campus and in the clinical areas that reflect both integrity and professionalism. To be awarded full membership, students must finish their third semester of nursing and complete a group capstone project, which focuses on either recruitment or educational activities.

Since 1984, more than 2,400 students have received an Associate of Applied Science-Nursing credential from Oakton. Instructional classes and labs feature a state-of-the-art nursing simulation hospital and nursing classrooms. Students enrich their learning through the clinical experiences offered in various health care settings throughout the community.

Over the last five years, Oakton has averaged a first-time pass rate of over 90% on the NCLEX, the national licensure exam for nurses. In 2020, the pass rate was 93%.

Nurses are in high demand, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs for registered nurses are expected to grow faster than average through 2026, with a median salary of more than $68,000 per year.

Oakton’s nursing program is approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Nursing is a limited enrollment program, and applications for spring 2022 are being accepted through July 31.

Admission requirements are posted at www.oakton.edu/academics/academic_departments/nur/admission_requirements/.

For more information, contact Margaret Gas, Nursing chair, at mgas@oakton.edu.