Family and friends filled Towsley Auditorium on the Washtenaw Community College campus to celebrate the 67-member Winter graduating
cohort of the WCC Nursing program on Monday, May 4.
The graduating class was taking a giant step closer to joining the nursing profession by participating in the pinning ceremony, a time-honored tradition dating back to the 1880s that represents an initiation into the profession.
Up next for the group is the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become a licensed Registered Nurse.
Related: Replay of ceremony live stream
Related: Photo gallery
Alisha Noel provided the faculty address, telling the graduates and her “soon-to-be nursing colleagues” that they are “ready to step into the world and make a difference.”
“This is not a small achievement, and you should feel overjoyed,” Noel said. “You are ready, you are capable and you are needed.”
Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Shari Lambert described the significance of the nursing pin and white carnation each graduate received while faculty member Dr. Marva Brooks served as mistress of ceremony. Donovan Golden and Connor Martin were selected by their peers to give student addresses.
WCC’s nursing graduates have been educated and trained in a nationally recognized program, named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing.
Meet the Graduates
Members of the Winter 2026 WCC Nursing Graduating Class include (in alphabetical order):
Ashley Alexander
Tori Amison
Enas Awad
Amber Baker
Olivia Barden
Samantha Barnett
Jeffrey Brown
Sierra Burkhardt
Phoenix Caswell
James Cameron Chenault
Seana Clark
Andrew Collins
Olivia Conatser
Aiche Djibo
Benita Ehikioria
Michel Elder*
Maya Epperson
Cassidy Fickett*
Wyatt Force
Donovan Golden
Jacob Gorman
Daniel Grenzicki+*
Mary Griffin*
Evelyn Hansen
Grace Harris
Jessica Hinneburg
Sumedha Hoshing
Marissa Hudson
Sharon Jackson
Jessica Jones
Paige Kile*
Terrez King
Whitney Kolongowski
Albert Koua
Juana LaTour
Brittany Lemons
Julie Lively
Steven Long+*-
LaKrystal Lovett
Connor Martin+
Natalie McGrath+*
Roswitha McIntyre
Erin McKeever*
Kennedy McMahon
Amy Montgomery
Emmy Motika
Julia Muir
Charlene Nicolai
Doreen Ouma
Vanessa Perkins-Waddell
April Relleno
Victor Reynolds
Francesca Rosu
Shauna Siebert
Jillian Sitarz
Nedra Smith
Jiayin Song
Robert Steger
Bonnie Strode
Anta Toure
Emma Vancea
Patricia Velasquez
Ashley Vermillion
Ava Walsh*
Kia Warren
Kiara Watson
Jinfang Wei
* Graduating with honors as a member of the Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society
+ Member of Advancing Men in Nursing
- Members of the Student Nurses Association
Tags: Class of 2026, Graduation, Nursing, Pinning Ceremony