(uplifting orchestral music) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (audience applauding) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (audience applauding) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (audience applauding) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (audience applauds) (uplifting orchestral music) (audience applauds and cheers) - As the dean of the College of Nursing, I am pleased to welcome you to the College of Nursing Spring 2023 commencement and pinning ceremony.

Would everyone now please stand as you're able for the Star Spangled Banner performed by the Lansing Concert Band and soloist Kathy Forest.

♪ O say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ Whose broad stripes ♪ ♪ And bright stars through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

♪ ♪ And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ (audience applauding) - Thank you, please be seated.

Today we bring together our graduates, along with their families and friends to honor you and your accomplishments.

We gather together while being mindful that our community is still mourning the violence that our community experienced on February 13th, celebrating to some may feel uncomfortable.

While that occasion still consumes much of our thoughts and feelings, we at the university are dedicated to supporting everyone impacted by this event, including the injured students, the witnesses to violence and families of those injured or who have passed.

As we shift to celebrating your accomplishments, let us pause for a moment of silence to consider how we can live our lives in a way that honors all Spartans, including those who are no longer with us, particularly Brian, Alexandria and Ariel.

Thank you.

Now I would like to extend a special welcome to all of the family and friends of our graduates.

As members of our student support network, you played a pivotal role in their academic success.

Today, we celebrate the graduates of the traditional Bachelor of Science and Nursing Program and the accelerated second degree Bachelor of Science and Nursing Program.

Each student has completed didactic and clinical coursework to meet a bachelor of science and nursing requirements.

We are pleased that each of these graduates has chosen the nursing profession, and I encourage each of you to remember your why every day as you engage with your work.

We can't tell you how proud we are to have them represent Michigan State University.

They are part of a proud tradition of over 70 years of Spartan nurses contributing to citizens' healthcare worldwide.

Graduation is a very exciting time.

It marks a significant accomplishment in the lives of individuals and represents both an end and a beginning.

These graduates are embarking on a career in one of the most essential and trusted healthcare professions.

Nurses help people through the most challenging passages of individuals' lives.

Everyone in this room has had an experience where expert nursing care was necessary for themselves or a loved one.

Our graduates know what high quality care looks like and they are prepared to provide it to their patients.

We are proud of them and will follow their careers with much enthusiasm, class of 2023, we are confident you will all be the future nursing leaders, the faculty, and I look forward to our new relationship with you as colleagues and we hope you will share your future successes.

(audience applauding) The entire College of Nursing community is celebrating these graduates.

The faculty have made significant contributions to the continued success of our students and the field of nursing as a whole.

I would first like to recognize the extraordinary efforts made by our college faculty during the pandemic and then through the February 13th crisis.

Each semester offered unique challenges and a great deal of uncertainty with great caring and comfort that was needed.

Our faculty quickly adapted and set the students needs as the priority.

I cannot thank you enough for your hard work and dedication.

You all epitomize the caring and compassion that drives nurses.

Thank you all.

(audience applauding) I would also like to recognize the hard work of the College of Nursing staff members.

They are the backbone of our college and support our faculty and the college so that we can provide support to our students in all ways.

In addition, they provide dedicated and outstanding service to our entire college community.

Thank you, I don't know where they are.

I would also like to welcome and thank Dr.

Norm Bosha, Executive Vice President for Health and Science.

He's joining us today, his passion for serving the underserved, expanding access to healthcare and futuristic vision for the profession of nursing make him a staunch advocate of the college, our college community, and all our nursing students.

So thank you.

We also have with us today a special guest who comes here from Egypt.

Dr. Senosi has been spending four months with us learning about the American curriculum for nurses and for healthcare in the United States, so thank you Dr. Senosi.

(audience applauding) It is an honor and a privilege to introduce our keynote speaker to you.

This morning, Janine Edwards, she'll tell a story what happened to her 23 years ago.

She is a member of the College of Nursing Baccalaureate class of 20, excuse me, 2000.

In addition, she earned her master's of Science in Healthcare Administration from Central Michigan University.

Janine began her nursing career working in the intensive care unit at Henry Ford Hospital and has held various clinical and leadership roles in Michigan's healthcare system for over 20 years.

Now Vice President of Utilization Management for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, she is responsible for providing strategic direction and program implementation and leading diverse teams to perform utilization management operations in the alignment with regulatory requirements.

Before her role as vice president, Janine worked as director and manager of Blue Cross, or excuse me, Blue Care Network, where she led the development of medical management programs for venture, excuse me, partnered programs.

She is actively involved as a mentor with mentoring circles, breaking through leadership in the Momentum Corporation, and she previously served on the Matrix Human Services Board.

In 2021, she was recognized as a top 100, under 50 executive leader.

In 2022, Janine was recognized as executive of the year through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan National Management Association.

So please join me in welcoming Janine Edwards back to campus for today's keynote address.

(audience applauding) - Good morning, Ann.

Thank you to Doctors Lee Small, Kathy Poindexter, and to the College of Nursing organizers, staff and graduating class who invited me to speak.

It's such an honor to be here today and to join you in this celebratory event.

Before I get started, I wanna give you all a great big round of applause.

(audience applauding) It's been a tremendous journey and you deserve to be recognized and congratulated for your courage, resilience, and all the hard work that has brought you here today.

It's such a remarkable accomplishment graduating with your Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

As I stand here before you today, I am in awe of your strength, perseverance, and dedication.

These last several years have been extremely hard.

We've experienced a significant tide filled with challenges that this world has not seen in over a hundred years.

The pandemic has impacted us all in a variety of ways.

Healthcare has been at the forefront of these challenges and your journey and contribution to the nursing profession at this critical time is of utmost importance.

Whether it's been through your support, serving on the front lines, providing immunizations, acting as a liaison between patients and family to help ease anxiety or by visiting those that were isolated, you've done an incredible job helping us to overcome these difficult times.

You've been fearless.

You've exhibited endurance and overcome adversity, not only in your role as nursing students, but as serving as advocates and leaders for your patients family and for one-another.

Nurses are the ones that offer a sense of calmness and peace during chaos, we are held to extremely high standards in our resource of strength and comfort for so many.

And while those expectations may seem daunting at time, trust me, you are well-prepared and will be up for the task.

It's been 23 years since I sat where you are sitting today and while a lot has changed, I commend you from making it through the demanding hours of developing care plans, driving numerous hours to and from clinical rotations, enduring sleepless nights for pharmacology, my personal favorite pathophysiology and those head to toe patient assessments.

You've gained critical skills needed to succeed in the nursing professions and while all of those skills are extremely valuable, I want you to know that it's the countless hours spent listening to patients share their stories, reassuring a family that you're gonna be present during the entire procedure or just holding a hand and sitting with a patient that is alone and frightened during the frailest moments of their life that I considered a privilege and experiences that matter the most.

When I graduated from state, I went to work in the medical ICU at an inner city hospital.

Many of my patients could not speak for themselves because they were ventilated.

I learned to communicate with them in a variety of forms, through communications with their family, I enjoy getting to know them at a more personal level and even built long-lasting relationships that exist today.

While I learned a lot clinically and helped to save many of lives, it's the connection, building of trust and knowing someone is truly counting on you that stands out the most for me while I was in clinical practice and still today, I rely on those core nursing skills as I collaborate with healthcare professionals across the state and country to coordinate and ensure care is of high quality, affordable, and accessible.

I'm a huge fan of the late Maya Angelo and while she was not a nurse, she understood the impact we as nurses have on others and wrote the quote, as a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the mind, souls, heart and body of our patients, families and ourselves.

They may forget your name but will never forget how you made them feel, end quote.

In today's world, nurses are the glue that holds everything together.

You possess a rare gift of compassion, knowledge, and overall sense of humanity that stands out and allows society to put so much trust in us.

It's no surprise that nursing is the number one most trusted profession in Gallup surveys year over year.

I'm sure many of you decided to go into nursing for a variety of different reasons.

Many of you may have been driven by the passion to help others by any means necessary.

Some of you may have the desire to innovate and transform healthcare.

Whatever your reason for choosing this profession, I don't ever want you to forget your why.

There will be more challenging days ahead of you, whether you're balancing multiple patients on your unit that all need your attention at the same time, speaking up and advocating for your patient when they cannot or just exhausted by the hours spent coordinating care for your patient that is being discharged and has no running water or heat in the middle of January.

Don't ever give up.

Always remember why you started this journey and know that even the smallest effort can have a significant impact.

I'm often asked why I love the field of nursing and while I often provide multiple reasons of why I think this is the best profession in the world, nobody is here.

My initial response is because there are endless opportunities to have a positive impact on human life.

While many of you are starting off providing direct patient care, your paths will lead you to a variety of different careers that will allow you to utilize your core nursing skills, yet improve outcomes and change our world for the better.

Whether it is your long-term passion of providing direct patient clinical care or maybe you have goals of teaching future nurses developing and lobbying for public policies on Capitol Hill or sitting in a boardroom, there are unlimited possibilities you will have as a registered nurse.

Don't be afraid to take risk and never stop learning.

Have patience.

Give yourself grace and embrace this exciting journey that you have ahead of you and celebrate the milestones of your success.

It is no surprise that healthcare is complex, it's fragmented and it's expensive.

It's really unfortunate, but not everyone is working to do what is right for the patient.

As a registered nurse, you hold the tools and opportunity to transform our system, participate in research to help find new treatments and reduce costs.

Ask those hard questions as to why something is being done if it's not producing positive outcomes.

Assist patients in breaking down barriers, disparities and red tape that prevent healthcare from being affordable and accessible.

It's a basic human need.

Embrace the diversity that exist in this world and strive to understand the individual differences that make each of us special as we are serving in our professional roles.

You are capable and will be called on to lead and navigate not only on behalf of your patients and family, but also for friends and colleagues.

So if you're not currently receiving calls and texts asking, what should I do in the wee hours of the night?

Be prepared because you are now considered a privileged group of resources for healthcare advice.

As a nursing community, I encourage you to stick together, cherish and secure the friendships that you've made thus far.

Continue to support each other in time of need.

Most importantly, don't forgive to give back.

Even starting off as a new grad, there are pre-nursing students and current nursing students looking up to you.

Mentoring others is so powerful and rewarding.

One of my most fulfilling moments was talking to a new grad when I was about two years working in the ICU.

She was having a really bad day.

Unfortunately, it's not a secret that some seasoned nurses are not the friendliest to newer nurses.

The newer grad was in tears and while I was extremely busy, I took the time to assure her that things would get better and gave advice on how to deal with some of the other clinical staff.

Naturally, as she became more seasoned, she excelled in her role and started a support group for new grads to lean on each other when starting out, it's extremely important that we take care and look out for one another to establish and sustain healthy inclusive working environments.

As you look forward to the days that lie ahead with grad parties studying for NCLEX exams and starting your new job, take some time for yourself.

Now, more than ever, self-care is extremely important and should be prioritized throughout your career.

You will be called to serve on on many forms and want to ensure that you are caring for yourself to perform at your best and while you're working to keep all these important tools in mind, the days will fly by.

Time truly goes by too fast.

Reflect and celebrate how far you've come.

Enjoy the adventures that lie ahead.

The world needs more nurses like you who are committed to making a difference in the lives of others.

MSU has taught us many things.

Rejoice and stay Spartan strong.

Go green.

Congratulations.

(audience applauding) - Thank you Janine, and thank you for reminding us to reflect back on our why.

This really marks a momentous time in the year actually for nurses, so as you graduate and you are a nurse, it is the beginning of nurses week, so I thought I'd remind you all of that.

A prominent moment in the life of a nurse is the pinning ceremony.

We are proud to continue that tradition today with our spring 2023 graduates.

This ceremony provides the opportunity to recognize each graduate individually and carry out a special and time honored ritual in the profession of nursing.

The Michigan State University pin is very unique to our College of nursing and it signifies the special status of our graduates.

The pins our graduates received today were a generous donation from alumni and friends of the College of Nursing who participated in the pin pales program.

This program supports the cost associated with the pinning of our baccalaureate of nursing students while linking donors to our newest Spartan nurses in a significant way.

Deb Steves and Gretchen Dubs and Jay Gotsha, faculty from the College of Nursing will have the honor of pinning each of our graduates today.

At this time with the candidates, please follow the direction of Ms. Christie Stayour.

Where's Christie?

There you are, Christie.

Thank you.

Please be seated once you've crossed the stage and had your picture taken.

And we now welcome Jessica Kaner, our Assistant Director of Student Affairs to the microphone, to announce the graduates as they walk across the stage.

- Eleanor Hoss.

(audience applauding) Kaitlyn DeWolff.

Abigail Bitenheis.

Madeline Young with high honors.

Aaron Danielle Kanjorski with honors.

Veronica Walters.

Samantha Andres.

Grace Weltheisen.

Jasmine Johnson.

Kalia Spoljerik.

Ayana Daniels Jazzine Clark.

Caitlin Moorehead.

Halle Hitchcock.

Logan Lee Wazerski with honors.

Benjamin Winston.

Madeline Wood.

Jeanette Gia.

(audience applauding) Probsimrin Core.

(audience applauding) Cora McKeller.

(audience applauding) Sidney Kaufman.

(audience applauding) Stephanie Pitch.

(audience applauding) Rachel Gremmel.

(audience applauding) Matthew Paglia.

Rachel Morgan with honors.

(audience applauding) Leanna Apple with honors.

Grave Boughtright.

(audience applauding) Josie Smith.

(audience applauding) Lupe Grover.

(audience applauding) Mancee Layo.

(audience applauding) Jacob Oms with honors.

(audience applauding) Madeline Mills with honors.

(audience applauding) Annie Abbott.

(audience applauding) Jenna Shaheen with honors.

(audience applauding) Elena Stoltz with honors.

(audience applauding) Gina Moss.

(audience applauding) Ashley Marie Prisball.

(audience applauding) Rachel Gobesh.

(audience applauding) Sabrina Taylor with high honors.

(audience applauding) Megan Nichols.

(audience applauding) Stephanie Angulo.

(audience applauding) Kim Lee Sorell with honors.

(audience applauding) Kira Lee Skyler.

(audience applauding) Pamela Lewin Mejia.

(audience applauding) Taylor Jones.

(audience applauding) John Beatress.

(audience applauding) William Meadows.

(audience applauding) Jacob Taylor with honors.

(audience applauding) Cameron Carvalho.

(audience applauding) Avery Benner.

(audience applauding) Nicole Daggy.

(audience applauding) Megan Stefashi.

(audience applauding) Erica Baske.

(audience applauding) Jenna McKeller.

(audience applauding) Mikayla Novello.

(audience applauding) Hannah Baxter.

(audience applauding) Annie Tastien.

(audience applauding) Eddie Javaherian.

(audience applauding) Logan James.

(audience applauding) Alexander James Corbeal with honors.

(audience applauding) Benjamin Turbo with honors.

(audience applauding) Caitlyn Winsec with honors.

(audience applauding) Haley Goss.

(audience applauding) Ashley Cox with honors.

(audience applauding) Corrine Pheiphenburger.

(audience applauding) Jenna Peck.

(audience applauding) Evelyn Zacharias.

(audience applauding) Emma Andreole.

(audience applauding) Jane Nogland.

(audience applauding) Adria Morrisey.

(audience applauding) Amber Griffiths.

(audience applauding) Allison Walsh with high honors.

(audience applauding) Mason Bauer.

(audience applauding) Aaron Foster.

(audience applauding) Nathaniel Quickl, RN.

(audience applauding) Maggie Lynch.

(audience applauding) Elizabeth Jensen.

(audience applauding) Carol Abby Mensa.

(audience applauding) Carolina Brockway.

(audience applauding) Ify Naji.

(audience applauding) (audience applauding) (audience applauding continues) - So just when you all sat down, I'm gonna have you rise.

Will the baccalaureate candidates please rise on behalf of the president who has delegated to me the authority of the state of Michigan vested in the Board of Trustees, I confer upon all of you the degrees for which you have been recommended with all rights and distinctions to which they entitle you.

According to custom... All right, drum roll here.

You may now move your tassels from the right side to the left side of your caps.

Please join me.

(audience cheering) (audience cheering continues) All right.

Please be seated.

My congratulations to all of our graduates.

This ceremony represents the culmination of an educational journey and the beginning of a lifetime of service.

It is an achievement worthy of celebrating and we are here this morning to celebrate each of you.

This semester you have completed the academic program requirements for a challenging program of study, the Bachelor of Nursing in Science.

We applaud you for your hard work and commitment and your dedication.

I hope you will wear your pin with pride and know that you will forever be a part of the College of Nursing at Michigan State University.

Let's give them one more round of applause.

(audience applauding) (audience applauding continues) Thank you.

Thank you.

Dr. Kathleen Poindexter, Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will now recognize members of the graduating class who have gone above and beyond inside and outside the classroom.

So welcoming and welcoming her.

(audience applauding) - Thank you very much, Dean Small.

And this is always such an honor for me and, and really part of the most exciting other than that graduation piece, the exciting part of the ceremony.

First, this is student recognition, but I wanna back up.

I wasn't able to share with your banquet in the celebration yesterday, 'cause I had to attend another graduation ceremony.

But now I get to say congratulations to my dear colleagues.

So a personal congratulations and welcome my dear colleagues to our profession.

The other thing I wanna note is that listening to our speakers this morning and this is student recognition, this is what the section is.

Yes, we did go through adversity, we had Covid, we had the events of February and and we did that together.

But I wanna recognize all of you and turn it around a little bit, is that do you realize what you demonstrated, what you learned, the competency that can't be on any test, promise it's not gonna be on the NCLEX.

You learned the power of human connection, community, support, reaching out to each other, as Dean Small said the faculty, but do you know they needed you to?

You did it.

Congratulations to all of you.

(audience applauding) You passed the greatest test.

Don't forget it.

You are going to experience adversity and everything that doesn't make sense in your entire career, but the power to get through that, the power of that human connection, the power of the human touch, the caring, the sharing, the reaching out to each other are the characteristics and the values that we hold to the highest esteem as nurses, as Spartan nurses and most important as part of the Spartan family.

So don't ever hesitate to reach out and remember these lessons that you've learned.

So thank you.

Now I wanna again thank everyone and thank you Dean Small and this is a wonderful opportunity to recognize those students that go above and beyond and show extraordinary commitment to service and to scholarship.

First, I wanna address our commissioned officers.

So let us take the opportunity to honor a member of the senior class who will be commissioned as an officer following graduation.

Please join me in recognizing Mason Allen Bauer.

(audience applauding) Mason, please stand.

(audience applauding) And that was a lot of additional work that went on all throughout the curriculum.

So my greatest respect.

Now the Outstanding Student Award.

Every semester we pay tribute to graduates who completed their academic program successfully and were recognized by their peers and faculty for their outstanding academic achievements.

The selection of the Outstanding Student Award recipient is based on educational leadership, scholarship and clinical practice.

Students are nominated by the faculty and students and selected by the undergraduate education, the curricular committee.

This year we are proud to honor Eleanor Hoss from the traditional BSN program as the outstanding student for her class.

Eleanor, please stand and be congratulated.

(audience applauding) (audience applauding continues) We also recognize the Board of Trustees' Award.

Michigan State University Board of Trustees recognizes graduates with the highest scholastic average from every graduating class every year.

All recipients had 4.0 GPAs at the close of the fall semester of 2022.

This semester, the board recognized 175 students from across the university with the Board of Trustee Award.

This year we have two awardees, Sabrina Taylor and Maddie Young graduates of the traditional Bachelor of Science and Nursing Program who are recognized with this highest honor.

We're very proud of you, Sabrina and Maddie, will you please stand and be recognized?

(audience applauding) (audience applauding continues) Next is our Spirit Award.

The Spirit Award recognizes students who have inspired their classmates and fostered positive energy in the classroom.

The class of 2023 selected Kaitlyn DeWolff to receive this year's award.

Kaitlyn represented the college as a banner carrier for the university convocation ceremony yesterday.

So please once again join me in congratulating Kaitlyn and thanking her for her exemplary spirit.

Kaitlyn, please stand so that we can honor and recognize you.

(audience applauding) There are many other graduates that we wanna recognize today.

So students please stand when appropriate.

High honors and honors students who attain grade point averages between 3.92 and 4.0 are awarded University High Honor.

In addition, University Honor is awarded to students who have earned grade point averages between 3.77 and 3.91.

Gold Honor Accords designate both of these honors.

Will all students graduating with honor and high honor, please stand and accept our congratulations.

(audience applauding) (audience applauding continues) Honors College, students who fulfill requirements of the Honors College by completing enriched programs of study are wearing white stoles with the HC designation.

Will all students graduating as members of the Honors College please stand so that we can also recognize you.

(audience applauding) Student Advisory Council, otherwise known as SAC, nursing students at all levels can represent their classmates on the Student Advisory Council.

In addition, the Student Advisory Council advises our administrators and faculty on curriculum and student needs.

And we really did hear you, I promise.

Will the graduates who have served on SAC please stand and be recognized.

(audience applauding) Nursing Student Association, NSA students who participated in the Nursing Student Association are dedicated to ongoing professional development.

Members of this organization participate in service projects and continuous leadership training to grow as a student and a professional in nursing.

I saw many of you at the national and midyear conferences over the last couple of years, so thank you for representing our college and our university so professionally.

Will members of NSA please stand so that we can recognize you as well?

(audience applauding) As you can see, there's a number of opportunities that our students participate and go above and beyond a very rigorous curriculum.

So once again, a round of applause for all of our students.

(audience applauding) And at this point, I will welcome Dr. Buchholz to the stage.

Where are you?

Right there.

(audience applauding) - As a public research intensive, land-grant University, Michigan State advances knowledge by conducting high caliber research that seeks to answer questions and creates solutions to make a positive difference locally and globally.

As such, the university is considered a Carnegie Foundation R1 Research Intensive University.

At the College of Nursing we believe in the power of research to have a lasting effect that will enhance nursing science, strengthen nursing care practices, and improve health outcomes in our communities.

Faculty and the College of Nursing and across campus are committed to addressing today's most pressing health challenges.

We also seek to share these experiences in the classroom and through collaborative opportunities with faculty, allowing our graduates to grow as learners and critical thinkers who will help advance nursing science.

At this time, I want to acknowledge our undergraduate research assistants.

It is a pleasure to see undergraduate students taking advantage of opportunities to participate in our faculty research projects.

Students in the undergraduate research program gain valuable experience as part of a research team preparing for graduate school and inspiring them to pursue a doctoral degree in nursing.

Will those of you who have served in undergraduate research assistant roles, please stand to be recognized.

(audience applauding) Thank you.

To all of our graduates I encourage you to stay abreast of the research evidence, be engaged in research, and allow yourself to be curious as you move forward in your career.

Congratulations to each of you.

Thank you.

And I'm gonna welcome back Dr. Poindexter.

- Now I get one last special recognition.

I get the honor of introducing our student speaker this morning.

Eleanor Hoss was selected as this semester's student speaker.

Eleanor came to MSU from Grand Rapids, Michigan.

As a student nurse Eleanor served as president of the Michigan State University Nursing Association and as a student advisory council representative.

Eleanor was inspired to pursue nursing due to her love of science and aspirations to make a difference in the lives of others.

She also cites her mother, who is a nurse and an inspiration.

Eleanor is interested in pursuing neonatal nursing.

She wants to focus on public health and she would like to advocate for underserved and minority populations.

No small undertaking.

These pursuits have guided Eleanor to the next stage of her career.

After graduation, she plans on working at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington DC in their neonatal ICU.

Eleanor, my greatest congratulations and please welcome to the stage.

(audience applauding) - Hello everyone.

I first want to say congratulations to all of the spring 2023 graduates here tonight, and a big thank you to everyone who came to support us.

To the friends and family here tonight, you are the ones that keep us nursing students sane.

I remember many evenings where I would call my mom after an eight hour clinical close to tears, and she would always reassure me that it's okay that I inflated the blood pressure cuff inside out because I'll never do that again.

To the faculty and staff, you have taught us everything you know and more.

I may not remember every single heart rhythm, but I will always remember professors Mike and Krista breaking it down to the EKG dancing class.

And for that memory, I will forever be grateful.

And to the students, we have grown so close with each other because of our shared experience here and you know, nothing brings you closer than a trauma bond in nursing school, in the best way possible of course.

I think it's safe to say that our cohort has had one of the hardest four years of college any person could experience.

Each year has presented its own personal challenge to us, but as hard as it was, we persevered and I think that has taught us something valuable every time.

In year one, we learned to be a little bit selfish, not in the vain sense, but instead to put ourselves first.

We came into college with over 300 pre-nursing students and vying for only 80 spots.

Now, I don't know about you, but that's a lot of stress to deal with as an 18 year-old freshman.

But this taught us our first lesson in nursing school, how to prioritize our needs and focus on our mental and physical health above all else.

Year two, we learned to rely on those around us and put ourselves out there.

This was our first year in nursing school and it was also the peak of the pandemic.

Many of us felt isolated and alone when we should have been feeling a sense of community and building friendships with each other.

I remember I wanted to be in person so badly, to meet everyone that I kept my camera on in every single class, but instead it left me feeling more isolated and more alone.

However, this taught me to reach out and to put myself out there.

I made the plans, I ran for every position, and I found the people that I could trust.

This was the year that we learned who we could rely on, the people that would keep a pinky promise and the friends that would take you up for ice cream after failing your safe med exam by one point and the ones who will cheer you on when you can't do it for yourself.

Year three is when we became advocates for ourselves.

This was the first time I can remember seeing everybody's real face, not from behind a Zoom screen or a mask and a face shield from six feet apart.

We began to relearn how to interact with professors and patients in a post-Covid world.

However, this brought its own set of challenges because everything was so different and this transition was not just hard on us, but for the faculty and patients as well.

But despite the discord and what felt like constant miscommunication, it presented us with another valuable lesson in nursing.

How to advocate for ourselves when we aren't being treated right or not being listened to.

Year four taught us to remember the good moments and how to let go.

Personally, I think that this has been our hardest year yet, but it has also been the most rewarding and has shown just how resilient we can be.

I can tell you that the senioritis hit me really hard this year and the events of February 13th made it just that much harder.

Motivation was at an all time low and it felt like there was no reason to try anymore.

But what got me through was remembering the great memories that I've made over the past four years.

For example, during our last Zoom orientation for Nursing 1, I distinctly remember Katie coming on late and apologizing profusely, telling us that she completely forgot about the meeting because her dog had suddenly started giving birth just a few hours earlier.

- Oh my goodness.

- Or when we were watching The American Nurse documentary on our first day of Nursing 205 and hearing a really loud thump come from the back of the classroom somewhere, and then realizing that Betty had fallen asleep in the back row.

(audience laughing) And this year when Jane's computer decided to talk at the beginning of every single exam and screen read every exam question for us very generously.

But my favorite memory has to be when Logan James showed up to our first med surg clinical wearing two left shoes because he bought them without opening the box and then he continued to wear them for the next month because he kept forgetting to return them.

At the end of the day, these are the memories that I choose to remember.

We have faced so many obstacles that could have cut a lot of people out of this program, but here we are.

We have adapted to it every single time and learned to balance probably one of the most brutal college schedules I have ever seen.

It has been insanely challenging, but I know that each of us has the ability to succeed because the past four years has shown us just how passionate and dedicated we are to this profession.

We have learned to put ourselves first, rely on others, and be the best for advocates for ourselves.

That is what makes us strong and that is what makes us Spartan nurses.

And for the last time, Go Green!

(audience applauding) - Thank you, Eleanor.

How many of you thought at one point in time, this is just impossible and I won't, oh, okay.

You can raise your hands.

I wanna share with you an expression that was shared with me when I thought certain things in my life were impossible.

Impossible is just an opinion.

You guys did it and you went through an amazing, unique set of circumstances.

So to all of you, congratulations.

At this time, I'd like Dr. Mary Kay Smith, president of the Alpha Psi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing to offer her remarks.

(audience applauding) - Thank you.

What a wonderful morning.

As Dean Small mentioned, I currently serve as president of the Alpha Psi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau.

On behalf of Sigma Theta Tau, I would like to congratulate the graduates, guests, colleagues, and fellow members.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Sigma Theta Tau International, it is a nursing honor society that recognizes leadership and supports scholarship related to practice, education and research to promote the quality of care and health of individuals and populations throughout the world.

Sigma Theta Tau was founded in 1922 with the Alpha Psi chapter established in 1969, and membership includes thousands of nurses around the world.

In fact, it is one of the largest global organizations in existence.

The Sigma Theta Tao organization call to action, asks us to be bold within three critical domains, economics, technology, and conservation.

So what does this mean?

This may be advocating for the value of nurses in the broader healthcare landscape and ensuring nurses have a seat at the interprofessional table.

This may be integrating innovative technologies to provide better care and being empowered by the technology rather than beholden to it.

Or it may be exploring new approaches to contemporary health issues and inequities, and as a result, influencing a future that is different from today.

You are Spartan nurses.

You are prepared to be bold.

Membership in the Alpha Psi chapter at MSU is open to students of nursing baccalaureate programs, nursing graduate study programs, and community leaders meeting eligibility requirements.

For those of you who are graduating and not yet a member, please consider reaching out to your local chapter, wherever that may be, to join this esteemed population of nursing leaders.

In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the 2023 Sigma Theta Tau inductees.

Please stand.

(audience applauding) Congratulations.

These new members of Sigma Theta Tao International are identified today as they wear purple and white honor cords.

I would also like to ask all members of the Alpha Psi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, in addition to members of other chapters, to please stand as well.

(audience applauding) Congratulations to you all and be bold.

(audience applauding) - Thank you, Dr. Smith.

The College of Nursing.

Well, first I wanna go back and say, remember this is the ending, but there's a beginning, right?

So part of the beginning is you will always be Spartan nurses, so you'll always be Spartan alum.

So with that, I'll say the College of Nursing Alumni Association would like to congratulate our graduates.

I probably have the first time saying, where is she?

Dr. Kimberlee Jones, a member of the Nursing Alumni Association in DNP, adult gerontology clinical nurse specialist graduate, will now offer her remarks.

Please welcome, please join me in welcoming Dr Jones.

- Thank you.

She says that 'cause I just graduated yesterday, so I'm feeling the same energy that you all are feeling.

So it's my first official capacity speaking as Dr. Jones.

I actually am a two-time graduate.

I graduated with my bachelor's in 2016.

So I'm here today on behalf of the Michigan State University Alumni Association, including the College of Nursing Alumni Board to offer our sincere congratulations on your amazing achievement.

Over 8,000 graduates have come before you, and we all welcome you to the Spartan nurse alumni family.

I wanna take a moment to acknowledge any other Spartan nurses that are here today.

So if you're an alumni of the college, can you please stand and be recognized (audience applauding) Today you shine.

You have the best preparation, knowledge and compassion for patients within you.

We know this to be true because you've done all that was required of you.

The exams, the physical assessments, the clinical hours and clinical assignments.

You have studied hard and proven your ability to be a professional nurse making MSU very proud.

You have also been gifted with a legacy of excellence from the College of Nursing.

One that you now carry forth spreading the wisdom for all that you care for.

A legacy is a gift one that is given to us by those who have come before us, who established the path that we now follow.

These include my fellow board members, faculty and staff members who work in this caring, educating environment.

Your families and your friends who all knew you could do this, their support has been invaluable and today they also shine with you.

We ask that you stay connected to home, share what you're doing, your successes and your challenges, because we all know that in every obstacle there is an opportunity.

As you move through your career, sharing those will keep everybody informed on what you're doing.

You made it, that's a great feeling.

I share that right along with you guys.

Congratulations.

Keep shining and don't forget to take us with you wherever you go.

(audience applauding) - Thank you, Dr. Jones.

It would be remiss of me if I did not acknowledge the academic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.

We've heard it from other people, but I wanna reemphasize that.

On March 11th, 2020, the then President Stanley suspended face-to-face instruction in lecture, seminars and classroom settings and moved all coursework to virtual instruction.

The suspension of in-person classes created challenges for both our students and faculty.

In addition to these, in addition, these students have experienced the horrors of February 13th.

However, the grit and resilience that our Spartan nurses students have shown completing their degrees despite difficult circumstances have been truly remarkable.

Nurses are on the front lines of healthcare.

There are 10 nurses for every three physicians.

You all join 4.2 million nurses of this nation and join together to care for patients affected by the pandemic and other health situations.

We know that Spartan nurses are well educated, hardworking, and have the determination to make a difference.

The faculty staff, and I could not be prouder of you for our spring 2023 graduates.

On behalf of the College of Nursing faculty and staff, congratulations to our graduates, their friends, families, and loved ones, as Spartan nurses, we all know that you will represent the College of Nursing and the nursing profession with the highest of integrity as you provide exemplary healthcare.

As we close our ceremony, and it sounds like someone's gonna help us, please join me in thanking the Lansing Concert Band and soloist Kathy Forest for leading us in music today.

(audience applauding) I would now ask the graduate guests and faculty to please stand and join us in singing the first stanza of the Michigan State University's alma mater MSU Shadows, followed by the MSU Fight Song.

Before we begin, we respectfully request our guests be seated and remain in their places after until the faculty platform party and students have exited the auditorium.

Students may join their guests following the recessional.

Once again, congratulations.

(audience applauding) (uplifting orchestral music) ♪ MSU, we love thy shadows ♪ ♪ When twilight silence falls, ♪ ♪ Flushing deep and softly paling ♪ ♪ O'er ivy covered halls, ♪ ♪ Beneath the pines we'll gather ♪ ♪ To give our faith so true, ♪ ♪ Sing our love for Alma Mater ♪ ♪ And thy praises, MSU ♪ (audience applauding) (uplifting orchestral music) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (audience cheering) (uplifting orchestral music) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues) (uplifting orchestral music continues)