Fifteen nursing students received their pins at the pinning ceremony at Crowder College's McDonald County campus on May 12.
Aaron Divine, administrator at Crowder College in McDonald County, was hired in July 2014. A month later, this class of nursing students was admitted.
"While there will be many classes to come, this class is special to me," Divine said in an email. "They've helped me understand the dedication necessary to complete our nursing program, and I can share that with our future students so that they can understand what it takes to be successful from day one."
He noted the students spent an inordinate amount of time on campus because of the difficult course work.
"They are usually the first to lend a hand when students are called upon to support the campus and whether they're aware or not, they have become the standard by which many of our other students measure themselves," Divine said. "They've become leaders here and those skills -- that dedication to success, personal sacrifice, and servant leadership -- will serve them well as nurses."
The nurses who received their pins Thursday are: Rebekah Basinger, Catherine Bearden-Davitt, Brandi Bryant, Bailee Bybee, Amy Cochran, Justin Cope, Chandler Cracraft, Gregory Fowler, Hillary Garman, Rebecca Hubbard, Janasse Martin, Elsie Mustain, Maria Rankin, Hank Whitehead, and Stephanie Wilson.
Crowder College in McDonald County offers full Associate degrees in:
• Nursing
• Certified Medical Assistant (beginning fall 2016)
• Associate of Arts in General Studies
• Associate of Arts in Business Administration
• Associate of Arts in Teaching
Full certifications in: CNA, CNA Specialist, Certified Medical Assistant (fall 2016), CNA Restorative Care, EMT, Phlebotomy, and EKG.
The Crowder College McDonald County campus opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 10, 2014.
Crowder College McDonald County campus/building is named after James B. Tatum, a founding college board member.
The first Crowder College was established in 1963 at Neosho on the grounds of the former Fort Crowder, a military installation, and served Newton and McDonald Counties and outlying areas.
The Crowder colleges in Neosho and McDonald County are named after Maj. Gen. Enoch Crowder, a prominent Missourian, soldier, statesman, and veteran of World War I.
Creating a Crowder McDonald County campus was a long-time goal for Tatum, who retired from the Crowder board after 50 years of service.
James B. Tatum is a fourth generation McDonald Countian. He is a product of Anderson, Missouri schools, Wentworth Military Academy and is the first person from McDonald County to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.
He served in the U.S. Army as an infantry company commander and retired on a medical disability after being severely wounded in the Korean War.
Tatum, owner of Tatum Motor Company in Anderson for 54 years, has pursued a lifelong passion for creating educational opportunities for others.
Community on 05/19/2016