December 2025 nursing graduates (left to right), back row: Kennedy Kropp, Ashley Lefel, Jeremy Line, Aaron Crary, Bailey Brunkow, Heather Wegner, and Cassidy Hutchison. Middle row: Krystle Hubbard, Sharon Standiford, Monica Tilton, Markia Richardson, Autumn Cira, and Brittany Fell. Front row: Emily Lothary, Taya Amidon, Brooke Curfman, Mayra Orenday, and Jazlyn Murwin.
At a traditional pinning ceremony on Dec. 11, 18 nursing students were honored for completing their two-year nursing degree at Blackhawk Technical College.
Aaron Crary, nursing graduate and student speaker, gave a lighthearted speech about what was learned. “This wasn't just school. It wasn't just exams, or care plans, or caffeine-induced hallucinations. This was a season of our lives that changed us. It stretched us. It broke us open and rebuilt us into people who can walk into chaos and bring calm, who can walk into fear and bring knowledge, who can walk into pain and bring comfort,” he said.
Sharon Standiford was honored with the Student Choice Award, which is sponsored by the nursing faculty. This award, determined by peer votes, is awarded to the graduate deemed most trustworthy to care for a loved one.
The event, held in the Conference Center at the Beloit-Janesville Campus, featured nursing instructors Julie Lohse and Mary Mather as the faculty speakers.
“As you leave here, you will face new shadows,” Lohse said. “The healthcare world can be a place of hardship and challenge. You will encounter the shadow of suffering, illness, and loss. You will face the shadow of a complex healthcare system. With its challenges and demands, remember to always follow facility policy and never be the nurse that cuts corners.”
Following the speakers' remarks, each graduate took part in the tradition of the pinning ceremony. This rite of passage, with roots tracing back to Florence Nightingale in the 1860s, symbolizes the transition from student to professional nurse. Nightingale, inspired by her Red Cross of St. George medal from Queen Victoria, began presenting medals to her students, establishing a custom that continues today.
At Blackhawk, graduates select a loved one to present their pin. Students also recited the Nightingale Pledge, a commitment to uphold their profession with care and dedication, akin to the Hippocratic Oath for physicians.
Congratulations to the December 2025 nursing graduates:
- Taya Amidon
- Krystle Banwell
- Bailey Brunkow
- Aaron Crary
- Brooke Curfman-Davis
- Monica Dassow
- Brittany Fell
- Cassidy Hutchinson
- Kennedy Kropp
- Ashley Lefel
- Jeremy Line
- Emily Lothary
- Jazlyn Murwin
- Mayra Orenday
- Markia Richardson
- Autumn Smith
- Sharon Standiford
- Heather Wegner