CSI nursing graduates pledge to ease suffering,
preserve life
Willowbrook
college holds traditional pinning ceremony for program students
dedicated to serving the sick
Staten Island Advance - June 1, 2005
Graduates of the highly regarded College of Staten
Island nursing program, embarking on challenging careers, made a
solemn pledge in front of family and friends yesterday to treat each
patient with compassion, dignity and respect.
The nursing program at CSI is nationally recognized, and school
officials congratulated the 60 graduates on their achievements.
"Our nursing program isn't easy to get into -- or out of," said CSI
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost David Podell.
More than 125,000 potential students were turned away from nursing
schools around the country last year, said guest speaker MaryAnn
Radiolo, R.N., the head of nursing recruitment at Maimonides Medical
Center in Brooklyn.
Mrs. Radiolo attributed the intense interest to the profession's
"dedication to humankind."
"In what other profession can you make such a profound difference in
the lives of so many?" she asked.
Given an aging population driving an ever-increasing demand for
nurses, and the specter of public-health threats such as
bioterrorism, Mrs. Radiolo cited the wide "opportunities that the
nursing profession has to offer," such as school, pediatric or
hospice nursing.
For students, it was a day to look to the future but also to recount
the hard work and unique struggles that each student faced.
Some students entered the nursing program when they were 16, while
some were making life and career changes. "But we have all chosen
one of the most challenging, yet rewarding careers," said student
speaker Florence M. Acres of Westerleigh.
Although she started her career as a teacher, it wasn't a career
that the 35-year-old mother of three felt she wanted to continue in.
After taking time to rear her children, "I saw something special in
nurses," she said.
That special quality, she said, is a nurse's ability to help a
patient recover in "mind, body and soul." And even if there is
little hope of recovery, a nurse can help comfort a patient during
his or her final days, Mrs. Acres said .
The highlight of the ceremony was the traditional pinning of
graduates and the nurse's pledge.
Each graduate was given a candle to light as she recited the pledge
to help alleviate suffering and preserve life.
As darkness descended upon the audience, one light shone on the
graduates as they promised to be a symbol of strength even in the
darkest moments.
Graduates are: Florence M. Acres, Linda Andersen, Kemisha Anderson,
Dorothy Archibong, Anthea Azeez, Denia Beleshi, Joanne Benimoff,
Jillian Bennetti, Elridge Best, Kamika Best, Carolina Braginsky,
Jacquelyn Burns, Joseph Cavarretta, Jean Charles, Aisa Cinco,
Christine Ciprio, Laurea Colombo, Chris Ann Crowe, Allison
Cunningham, LoriAnn Curley, Donald D'Amerli, Lorraine DiMartino,
Kathleen Elsibay, Yolanda Fobbs, Scott Fortunato, Lori Gjenashaj ,
Pamela Glennon, Lauren Goldstein, Julianne Graziano, Hillary Green-DeLisa,
Joann Iadanza-McNamara , Jonel Inigo, Tatyana Kaplan, Ann King,
David Kunin, Yekaterina Lukashok , Philip McCaig , Lauren
Morrongiello, Cleopatra Nagbe, Lorraine Negron, Renata Neuwirth,
Adriana Nunez, Ethel O'Connor-Damitz, Lisa Petersen, Diana Rivera,
Linda Ryan, Andrea Sandy, Alyssa Santello, Darshanna Sessoms,
Jennifer Sette, Lois O. Shonola, Jason Sixon, Lorraine Smith,
Jennifer Smith, Rochelle Smith, Ketty St.-Surin , Michael Tischler,
Diane Wesslock-Orlando, Christine Widlund and Cloverlyn
Willis-Blair.
By
Remington Gregg
Reprinted here with permission from the
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