JWU’s Nursing Program Celebrates First Graduates

Health & Wellness Milestones

The first Nursing cohort graduation paralleled another College of Health & Wellness milestone: the Physician Assistant Studies program’s tenth anniversary. For Iverson, these twin events underscored JWU’s commitment “to offering a rigorous healthcare education rooted in excellence.”

Following Iversen, Charlotte Chief Nursing Officer David Hudson, DNP, spoke movingly of the history of the pin and evoked significant moments in nursing, from bravery during times of war (Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, Rufaida Al-Asalmiya) to breaking barriers (Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first African American professional nurse, graduated in 1879 from the New England Hospital for Women & Children). While nursing pins date back to the Crusades, it wasn’t until 1880 that the practice of awarding pins to new graduates became widely adopted in the United States.

Hudson continued, “Today, as the first Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates, you too take your place in history. This starts the journey as you make your own path in the nursing profession.” He then introduced the student speaker, Krysta Bouchard ’24, by explaining that “her time in the program has reinforced the fundamental importance of compassion in healthcare.”

A Collective Responsibility

Krysta’s heartfelt speech emphasized her cohort’s collective responsibility: “As nurses, we will treat patients and their families at their most vulnerable moments. I have no doubt that each of you will bring a strong dedication and genuine kindness to your patients, and I would feel confident having any one of you as my nurse.”

Krysta also memorialized Jaiden Andrews ’24, who passed away suddenly in June, as “a light, not only to our program but to every person she met.” She characterized Jaiden as “a hard worker, driving from Plymouth each day to attend morning class or clinical. As funny — making me laugh by sharing little stories she made up to remember the chapter material. As kind — letting the pediatric patient play with the Pooh bear charm on her stethoscope so they wouldn’t be scared of her taking their vitals. But most of all — as a friend.”

Krysta then played a year-end video that paid tribute to Jaiden’s memory but also included less solemn moments — from Halloween costume contests to clinic blooper reels and “a truly impressive amount of Starbucks coffee” — that marked the full span of the Class of 2024’s momentous journey. “My brain must’ve grown three sizes!” she explained.

Honoring Jaiden

As Jaiden’s family walked on stage to receive her posthumous diploma, the entire auditorium gave them an emotional standing ovation. Jaiden’s classmates — soon to be graduates — hugged one another and cried for their much-missed friend. Then, each new grad stepped forward to receive the official pin from Nursing Program Director Kiley Medeiros, Ph.D., RN, and Associate Professor Judy Nicotera, DNP, RN. Each graduate posed for a photo with Medeiros, who served as a mentor for the entire group.

Medeiros told the new graduates, “As you step into the world as nurses, remember that you are not just carrying a degree, but a deep responsibility — a commitment to healing, to caring, and to making a difference in the lives of those you serve.” The ceremony concluded with a group portrait documenting a momentous day — and a bright future.