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BROOKLYN, N.Y. — May 26 was a magical night for the 40 members of the New York City College of Technology June 2009 associate’s degree graduating class.

They officially became RNs during the pinning and Nightingale Lamp lighting ceremony in the college’s auditorium on Jay Street.

In her congratulatory speech to the graduates, college Provost Bonne August, PhD, said, “You’re holding 19th century lamps, wearing 20th century uniforms, but you’re 21st century nurses.”

Guest speaker Celia Y. Bramble, RN, associate executive director of training and organizational development at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, set the tone for the evening. “Some perceive this tradition as outdated,” she said. “We see it as a wonderful, meaningful, and important right of passage.”

The graduating classes at the college also have a tradition of their own. Besides choosing its own color scheme for the event, since 1989, each class has chosen three “legacies” to pass on to three of its fellow graduates. This class selected a maternal-child nursing textbook, a Nightingale Lamp, and a nursing cap. It also presented an award to the nursing department for its appreciation of and dedication to the nursing students. The award was accepted by professor and Department of Nursing Chairwoman Kathryn Richardson, RN, who also served as the evening’s pinner.

Nursing Spectrum congratulates the members of the June 2009 graduating class: Eleonora Achildiyeva, Ameze Agho, Althea Atkinson, Tshika Beerram, Genevieve Beharie, Salome Benidze, Marieta Bottse, Ann Marie Brown, Malisa Chandler, Nikita Cheeseman, Guy Cowans, Sharon Daniel, Mfon Edem, Dominick Gagliardotto, Danailourdes Gilles, Andriene Gooden, Makedia Guy

Rosetta Hancle, Angelica Hernandez, Muzaffar Iqbal, Amandeep Jassal, Lotus Lam, Semoy Lopez, Karen Miranda, Roberto Monserrate, Princess Morris-Ramos, Lena Nehrkorn, Faith Okuesi, Olatokunbo Osewa, Confesora Peralta, Rafael Roque, Ebonette Smith, Stephanie St. Hilaire, Leslian Thomas-Chetram, Mayra Uruchima, Monica Vega, Elsie Velez, Daleel Walters, Verlin White, and Charlene Winter.

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Tracey Boyd is a regional reporter. To comment, e-mail editorNY@nursingspectrum.com.