Blinn recognizes 40 Associate Degree Nursing graduates with pinning ceremony

Blinn ADN graduates rank among the state leaders on the national licensure exam

December 7, 2021

Forty future nursing professionals recently were recognized with their nursing pins after completing the Blinn College District’s highly regarded Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program.

“These students entered the nursing field during an unprecedented time and have risen to and tackled each challenge that came their way,” said Karla Ross, ADN Program Director. “The commitment and sacrifice our students make is on display now more than ever, and our program is dedicated to providing them with the knowledge, skills, and support necessary to embark on careers as compassionate nursing professionals.”

Blinn’s two-year program prepares students for a nursing career and for transfer into a bachelor’s degree program at a four-year university. Students who complete Blinn’s ADN Program and pass the NCLEX-RN have a job placement rate between 97 and 100% and are qualified for a wide array of nursing positions, including pediatric, geriatric, hospice, school, and clinical nursing. With the demand soaring in the nursing field, new graduates can expect to make an average of $53,000 per year.

The fall 2021 graduating class includes David Baumgardner, Kourtney Bishop (Madisonville), Donald Edward Boston III (San Antonio), Kayla Nicole Chichester (Pflugerville), Samuel Cooley (Houston), Haley Lynn Christian (Conroe), Morgan Crenshaw (Iola), Hailey Fisher (College Station), Viviana Flores (Raymondville), Shirley Joanna Garcia (Austin), Ryleigh Goulden (Gatesville), Brooke Craigen Green (Sour Lake), Jessica Hamilton (College Station), Jordan Harrington (Magnolia), Amy LeeAnn Harrington (Knox City), Megan Rachel Henley (Mesquite), Stephen Hines (College Station), Emma E. Jackson (Caldwell), Colbie LeighAnn Knipstein (Brenham), Matthew Lengefeld (Huffman), Sharla Beth Marler (College Station), Shermeka Myers (Broken Bow, Okla.), Morgan Taylor Newman (Huntsville), Kaylee Dominique Orona (La Grange), Linsey Nicole Osbourn (Llano), Sonia Alexia Perez (College Station), Stephanie Polo (Dallas), Michaela Purdy (Frisco), Hannah Reynolds (Houston), Maria Helen Roosma (College Station), Alyssa Ryan (College Station), Ashley Alyse Shepherd (Iola), Sherrie Strange (College Station), Brennan Lea Swarts (Navasota), Thomas Dean Synwolt (College Station), Rosie S. Taplin (San Diego, Calif.), Allison R. Viktorin (Smithville), Matthew Travis White (Argyle), Emily G. White (College Station), and Veronica Breanne Witte (Boerne).

Jackson, Purdy, Synwolt, Roosma, and White each graduate as members of Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society. To be considered for membership, students must maintain a 3.5 grade-point average both overall and in their nursing courses. Members also must complete a capstone project and demonstrate conduct on campus and in clinical areas reflecting integrity and professionalism.

Blinn’s ADN Program is based at the RELLIS Academic Alliance Complex at the RELLIS Campus in Bryan, where students gain hands-on skills utilizing the facility’s 16,000-square-foot simulation laboratories.

“Blinn’s nursing program gave me the training, skills, and confidence for my new role with Baylor Scott & White’s Medical Intensive Care Unit,” said Viviana Flores, ADN graduate and recipient of the class’s Academic Excellence Award. “The faculty and staff were extremely caring and supportive since we were going through the program during the pandemic. Every clinical I have ever had and working with my peers definitely helped prepare me to embark on this next step.”

Nursing students spend at least two days per week in clinical rotations, in addition to lab, simulation, and lecture time. Most students dedicate 15 to 24 hours each week to scheduled program activities and at least 30 hours per week on study and preparation.

All 89 members of Blinn’s Class of 2020 passed the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt. Blinn was one of just nine nursing programs statewide to record a perfect pass rate in 2020. Across the State of Texas, the pass rate was 91%. Nationally, 86.76% of students passed the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt.

As a result of this success, Blinn’s program has been recognized by Nursing Schools Almanac, NursingProcess.org, RNCareers.org, and RegisteredNursing.org.

For more information on Blinn’s ADN Program, visit www.blinn.edu/adn.