MSMC Awards Nursing Pins to Over 120 Students

NEWBURGH – Mount Saint Mary College honored more than 120 graduates of its prestigious Nursing program at a pinning ceremony on Friday, May 18.

The nurse pinning has long been a prelude to the Mount’s annual Commencement ceremony. The next day, on May 19, the college awarded degrees to nearly 600 graduates, including the newly-minted nurses.

Fr. Gregoire Fluet, chaplain and director of Campus Ministry at the Mount, blessed the pins, which were presented to the graduates by chosen family members and friends.

The Mount Saint Mary College nursing pin displays the college seal and motto, “doce me veritatem,” which translates as “teach me the truth.”

Dr. David Kennett, interim president of the college, congratulated the students on a job well done.

“I want to give a special greeting this morning to all the Nursing graduates, who worked so hard to reach this important rite of passage,” he said. “Don’t forget the members of this faculty that nurtured you. Yesterday, they were your teachers. Today they will become your colleagues in this noble profession. They are your sisters.”

Mount Nursing professors Antonia Brewer, Ann Corcoran, Teresa Hurley, and Jill Sussman offered the graduates words of encouragement and advice for their upcoming careers. Andrea Ackermann, professor of Nursing, was the ceremony’s keynote speaker.

“You have all earned our admiration and blessings,” said Ackermann. “We’ve taught you a lot over the past few years. We laughed with you, we cried with you, we pushed you. And we supported you. Now it’s your turn. Now is the time to celebrate your success and look forward to your future.”

Christine Berté, assistant professor of Nursing, director of the graduate Nursing program, and chair of the college’s School of Nursing, recognized several students for excellence in their studies, skills, and dedication to the field.

Award recipients were Gina Zinzi of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who was given the General Excellence in Nursing Award; Kayla Winne of Shokan, N.Y., who received the School of Nursing Clinical Excellence Award; Danielle Zaleski of Walden, N.Y., who got the School of Nursing Leadership Award; Deanna Cacioppo of Dover Plains, N.Y., who earned the Spirit of Nursing Award; and Kali Hagen of Selkirk, N.Y., who was given the Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Award.

Kasondra Colasanti of Hartford, Conn., who received the Perseverance Award at the ceremony, offered her reflections on the group’s journey from novices to Nursing graduates. She credited their professors with molding them into the confident nurses they are today.
“We will remember what our professors taught us in the classroom,” she said. “Thank you, all of our instructors, for teaching us so much.”

The graduates were thankful for the ongoing mentoring and dedication of the Mount’s nursing professors. Colin Cassidy of Middlebury, Conn. applauded his professors, “who have made me into the nurse I want to be.”

The students were also full of praise for their families. Briana Arnao of Bronx, N.Y. thanked her family “for being encouraging, supportive, and understanding throughout the ups and downs.”

Carli Pusateri of Suffolk, N.Y. was pinned by her mother, Susan, a registered nurse. Pusateri echoed Arnao’s sentiment: “Thank you for your love, support, and encouragement,” she said of her family. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Pusateri’s twin brother, Lcpl. John Pusateri, is a United States Marine currently stationed overseas. Though he couldn’t attend in person, he recorded a message that was played at the ceremony: “I couldn’t be prouder. I know you’re going to be a great nurse and you’re going to do monumental things,” he said.

Twins Amanda and Melissa Walsh of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. beamed as they were pinned by their mother, Robin, and grandmother, Barbara. Both dedicated their pins to the memory of their grandfather.

To close out the ceremony, the proud graduates recited “A Nurse’s Prayer,” which speaks of dedicating one’s life to helping others.

Additional Mount graduates who received their nursing pin on May 18 are: Ariana Allen of Bronx, N.Y.; Alana Andrade of Middletown, N.Y.; Jacqueline Angelini of Lindenhurst, N.Y.; Annassa Arius of Spring Valley, N.Y.; Briana Arnao of Bronx, N.Y.; Melissa Baldwin of Yorktown, N.Y.; Cora Benson of Walden, N.Y.; Jenna Bernard of Milford, Conn.; Myriame Bretoux of Hempstead, N.Y.; Ludwing Briceno of Middletown, N.Y.; Mallory Briggs of Seymour, Conn.; Tashoy Brown of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Anne Burns of Lincolndale, N.Y.; Anthony Burrow of Pine Bush, N.Y.; Allison Camuso of Milton, N.Y.; Gabrielle Caputo of Bloomburg, N.Y.; Vincent Cardillo of Stormville, N.Y.; Gabrielle Casale of Staten Island, N.Y.; Colin Cassidy of Middlebury, Conn.; Verenice Castellanos of New Paltz, N.Y.; Michele Ciago of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Alisha Ciccarello of New Windsor, N.Y.; Danielle Ciullo of Massapequa, N.Y.; Kasondra Colasanti of Berlin, Conn.; Cynthia Connoly of Walden, N.Y.; Shanice Corbett of Bronx, N.Y.; Corrina Cruz of Lagrangeville, N.Y.; Kristen Curley of Staten Island, N.Y.; Danielle DeSantola of Washingtonville, N.Y.; Alexandra DeSena of Staten Island, N.Y.; Chelsea DeVries of Pine Bush, N.Y.; Jillian DiBernardo of Kings Park, N.Y.; Caitlin Drake of Deer Park, N.Y.; Kalyn Drasher of Eldred, N.Y.; Jennylyn Escritor of Beacon, N.Y.; Allison Feimer of Hyde Park, N.Y.; Dovid Flohr of Monroe, N.Y.; Rachael Freiman of Newburgh, N.Y.; Makenna Garrison of Newburgh, N.Y.; Noar Gashi of Rego Park, N.Y.; Jennifer Gately of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Aideen Ginty of Yonkers, N.Y.; Julissa Gomez of Bronx, N.Y.; Brianna Goncalves of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Colby Gonzalez of Middletown, N.Y.; Diego Guerra Pintado of Fishkill, N.Y.; Jolie Guidici of Franklin Square, N.Y.; Lydia Hart of Cornwall, N.Y.; John Hertle of Kingston, N.Y.; Shannon Hogan of Oradell, N.J.; Leanne Houston of New Windsor, N.Y.; Danielle Hughes of Oakville, Conn.; Morgan Jacobsen of Walden, N.Y.; Jessica Jacovino of Hauppauge, N.Y.; Allison Jones of Merrick, N.Y.; Alexis Juliano of Marlboro, N.Y.; Marietta Khalil of Shelton, Conn.; Rebecca Klein of Rock Tavern, N.Y.; Brianna LaBarbera of Newburgh, N.Y.; Shannon LaPerche of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Lauren Lester of West Babylon, N.Y.; Jacqueline Lezamiz of Howard Beach, N.Y.; Amanda Liber of Wappingers Falls, N.Y.; Shantelle Lord of New Windsor, N.Y.; Danielle Luciano of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Jenna Malouf of Beacon, N.Y.; Sean Malvey of Cornwall, N.Y.; Corinne Martinez of Port Jervis, N.Y.; Nicole Matura of Newburgh, N.Y.; Allison McConville of Valley Stream, N.Y.; Rebecca McIntosh of Carle Place, N.Y.; Alek McKeever of Middletown, N.Y.; Lauren Mendez of Hauppauge, N.Y.; Katelyn Messina of Gardiner, N.Y.; Stephanie Ann Modiest of Massapequa, N.Y.; Jacqueline Morris of Fishkill, N.Y.; James Mullamphy of Garrison, N.Y.; Erin Mulligan of Patchogue, N.Y.; Liam Mullins of Mahopac, N.Y.; Stephen Notaro of Staten Island, N.Y.; Erin O’Brien of New Windsor, N.Y.; Kelsey O’Dell of Florida, N.Y.; Patricia O’Leary of Yorktown Hieghts, N.Y.; Anna Pan of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Nicole Parker of Cornwall, N.Y.; Charlotte Pascual of Merrick, N.Y.; Nicholas Pelletier of Bridgeport, Conn.; Lynn Pierson of New Paltz, N.Y.; Marissa Pino of Elmont, N.Y.; Carli Pusateri of Lake Grove, N.Y.; Ashley Quigg of Massapequa, N.Y.; Marissa Quinn of East Islip, N.Y.; Rachel Quinn of Newburgh, N.Y.; Kathleen Radday of Blooming Grove, N.Y.; Stephanie Ramos of Wappingers Falls, N.Y.; Courtney Ranieri of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Jennifer Revak of Chester, N.Y.; Sharon Richards of New Paltz, N.Y.; Mary Riley of Newburgh, N.Y.; Angela Roselli of Highland Lane, N.Y.; Emily Scheuer of North Babylon, N.Y.; Summer Serrano of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Carolyn Servello of Rockaway Beach, N.Y.; Brianna Shutter of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Marissa Siegel of Selden, N.Y.; Sandra Sinchi of Peekskill, N.Y.; Amanda Smith of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Chelsea Soto of Fishkill, N.Y.; Brittany Suraci of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Heather Sutcliffe of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Glen Thompson of Staten Island, N.Y.; Michael Todaro of Central Valley, N.Y.; Amanda Upright of Highland, N.Y.; Brittany Walker of Monroe, Conn.; Amanda Walsh of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Melissa Walsh of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Jenna White of Staten Island, N.Y.; and Megan Williams of Glenmont, N.Y.