NEWARK, Ohio, May 15, 2019 — Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) held pinning ceremonies to honor the following 2019 spring semester graduates of its healthcare technology programs.*
The Elizabeth Barnhart Award for Nursing Excellence was presented to Madyson Bonham of Mount Vernon. The Barnhart Award honors a graduating student who exemplifies the highest ideals of the nursing profession: intelligence, commitment, sacrifice, integrity and a compassionate connection to others. Recipients receive a certificate and a $300 cash stipend to help defray the cost of equipment and career-related fees, including testing and licensure. The inaugural award was presented in May 2018.
Barnhart, a young registered nurse who loved her profession and was passionate about helping others, was only just beginning a promising career as an emergency room nurse at Newark's Licking Memorial Hospital when she was killed on Feb. 2, 2017. A 2015 COTC graduate, Barnhart was an outstanding student and well-known to use the phrase "nurse so hard," which she used to describe the deep level of compassion and commitment needed by nurses to provide exceptional patient care.
Photo caption: Madyson Bonham with the Elizabeth Barnhart Award for Nursing Excellence
Associate of Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography Technology
Kristin Carlin
Erica Chase
Kaelin Clement
Zahra Dhalla
Megan Dixon
Alison Emmert
Rachel Evangelisti
Emma Gavlik
Clarissa Gergley
Tayler Graves
Brooke Hannen
Sally Heberle
Hannah Hinger
Laura Jenkins
Katie Keller
Emily Miller
Stormy Orsky
Gretchen Proemm
Karla Sunderlin
Rachel Walker
Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Technology
Nimo Ahmed
Ashlyn Barber
Natalie Bidwell
Madyson Bonham
Sara Boston
Shelly Brewer
Sydney Brock
Alesha Brown
Sarah Butts
Stefanie Caskey
Courtney Castle
Jackson Casto
Teri Cooperrider
Mary Corner
Carly Cunningham
Stephanie Davis
Lindsey Denes
Zachary Derugen
Jordan Durham
Whitney Ewing
Destiny Ford
Shelby Fry
Tina Gibson
Shanna Grennell
Alexus Grimmett
Autumn Hall
Jensen Hocter
Shukri Isse
Aprille Jordan
Alexandra Keller
Sydney King
Katherine LaRe
Sidney Lester
Natashia Marcum
Margarita Martinez
Mandy Maschino
Gavin McKenzie
Karly Mitchell
Alexandra Murch
Kimberly Nelson
Katelyn Parrett
Sarah Patterson
Laura Peugh
Devin Reardon
Megan Ridzon
Kelsey Ries
Ashton Riffle
Heather Rine
William Robinson
Ashley Rogers
Halima Said
Mackenzie Saul
Sally Saunders
Michaiah Senior
Carrie Smith
Kevin Smith
Abigail Solomon
Anthony Spaulding
Frances Williamson
Carlee Znamenacek
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic Science Technology
Patricia Anderson
Katie Bice
Katlyn Bice
Jonathan Broom
Aleecia Carson
Jamie Copeland
Nicole Egan
Cassidy Garcia
Olivia Gerschutz
Lindsey Harezga
Morgan Leddy
Ashley Mahaffey
Chelsea Neighbarger
Stephani Neighbor
Samantha Rinehart
Ashley Stephens
Brianna Tittle
Samantha Tutorow
Thomas Weber
*Only graduates who have granted COTC permission to release their names to the public are listed.
The pinning ceremony is a long-held tradition marking the passage of student to the ranks of professional nursing. The ceremony originated in the 1860s at London's Nightingale School of Nursing. Florence Nightingale, who had recently been awarded the Red Cross of St. George for her selfless service to the injured and dying in the Crimean War, chose to extend this honor to outstanding nursing graduates by presenting each of them with a medal for excellence.
COTC is a fully accredited, public college dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible programs of technical education in response to current and emerging employment needs. COTC is the only technical college in Ohio operating four full-service campus locations: Newark, Coshocton, Knox and Pataskala.
