Graduation Archives | �ֻ��Ƭ

WCU-Miami 2022 Commencement Ceremony

�ֻ��Ƭ — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 08:47:00 +0000

�ֻ��Ƭ graduates from the Miami Campus and Online �ֻ��Ƭgathered at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium to celebrate the Fall 2022 commencement.

Our graduates were welcomed by WCU-Miami Executive Director Joshua Padron and WCU Co-President Ward Ulmer. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Levi Harrison shared an emotional keynote speech message to celebrate and encourage graduates to be humble servants in their communities. WCU Alumna Melanie Gomez, BSN ’20, welcomed the newest graduates to the Alumni network.

This year the ceremony featured BSN ‘22 Miami graduate Emily Diaz, who initially started off as a music business major at another institution before realizing that her passion was in healthcare and helping people, performed the national anthem.

Graduates were cheered on by their loved ones as they crossed the stage to receive their diplomas. WCU-Miami BSN graduate Gisella Loffredo was the DAISY-in-Training award recipient for her cohort due to her kindness and dedication to others. She had worked in healthcare for three years before facing her fears and enrolling for her BSN. Loffredo said she was both happy and excited about receiving her diploma.

“This is a big deal for me, it’s a big deal for my family,” Loffredo said. “They believed in me, the professors believed in me and that helped me believe in myself. I finally get to do what I came to school for and become a nurse.”

For Angel Hernandez, graduating from WCU-Miami with his BSN meant that he was breaking stereotypes for his family. After working in hospitals, Hernandez motivated himself to enroll for his degree.

“Coming from a Hispanic background, there is a stereotype of having limited education,” Hernandez said. “Being the first in my family to finish school and have a career feels amazing.”

Congratulations to all our graduates!

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WCU Celebrates Summer 2022 Commencement [Video]

�ֻ��Ƭ — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 10:45:00 +0000

A big congratulations to all the �ֻ��Ƭ graduates who recently celebrated this amazing achievement.

The WCU 2022 Summer Commencement ceremony was held on July 9 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. With more than 700 graduates and 4,500 guests, the event recognized students across programs — from nursing to physical therapy — who have proven they have the drive and tenacity to make it in the professional world.

“Through perseverance, and just having this one objective, this one goal in mind, it really helped me to just push through it. And now I’m here,” Megan Divinagracia, BSN ’22, said while celebrating her graduation among classmates and faculty members.

Returning student Sheryl Pena was also among those celebrating. After earning her BSN at WCU, she came back to take advantage of the online programs, having just earned a post-master’s nursing certificate. When asked why she chose to come back to WCU, she said, “The people, the instructors, the camaraderie with the students you get… it’s very different here.”

“They had like a family atmosphere,” DPT graduate Bryan Giron echoed. “They made me feel really welcome.”

We wish all the WCU graduates great success, and we couldn’t be prouder to welcome you into the WCU alumni family!

Watch our commencement recap video above to hear more about what graduates are saying about their time at WCU.

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Online BSN Valedictorian Sets Lofty Goals and Achieves Them

�ֻ��Ƭ — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 15:46:58 +0000

Debbie Dawn Leoncio, BSN

Whether you’re a firefighter or involved in police work, whether you’re a doctor or a nurse, if you’re a frontline worker, commitment is part of your DNA.

If you’re looking for a perfect case in point, look no further than Debbie Leoncio, a Supervising RN at Patton State Hospital who graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from �ֻ��Ƭ on July 9 as one of two valedictorians from the school’s Online Programs.

Leoncio said she was “really proud” of herself, but not because she was valedictorian or because she got straight A’s; rather, she was proud of herself for having accomplished such a difficult and challenging goal that she’d committed herself to achieving.

“I was just thinking, ‘I want to prove to myself that I can do this’,” she said. “I got all A’s in my (Associates Degree in Nursing) program (at San Bernardino Valley College), but it wasn’t so much that I wanted to get all A’s (at WCU) – I just wanted to prove to myself that I could excel in things that were so hard.”

English as a Second Language

As if the coursework and balancing a full-time job that often required extra shifts wasn’t challenging enough, WCU’s Online �ֻ��Ƭare primarily based on written papers, and for Leoncio, English is her second language. Her native language is Tagalog.

“In the beginning, I was really nervous writing papers because in the Associate program, you don’t write as many papers,” she said. “But I just started each paper early, took my time, and every paper I wrote, I wanted to do better for the next one.”

Well, having received A’s in her first class, Leoncio didn’t leave much room “to do better for the next one,” but she proceeded to get an A in her second class, and every class she took after that en route to her Online BSN degree at �ֻ��Ƭ.

Excelling in Online Programs

WCU’s Online Programs proved to be a highly effective schooling solution for Leoncio because she said she oftentimes had to stay on for another shift that would lead into the next day. Because it’s difficult to plan for those sorts of things, you can’t reliably attend a school that expects you to be in a class at a certain time.

Thankfully for Leoncio, with the Online �ֻ��Ƭat �ֻ��Ƭ, flexibility is one of the key considerations. There’s a clear understanding that children and/or work can present unexpected scheduling quirks; therefore, giving students that flexibility in terms of when they are required to do their work during the week is critical. Still, even flexible online coursework requires discipline.

Leoncio would listen to audio recordings or read through notes during her lunch breaks. Additionally, with her papers, she always made sure to get an early start to allow for any “surprises” that could delay her writing process.

Secret to Success

So what does every online WCU student need to make it to graduation day? Reflecting on her experience, Leoncio had a simple answer for what helped her achieve nursing school success — and it’s an answer that is echoed by many of our other online students:

“Time management.”

What other academic advice does Leoncio have for students just getting started or thinking about an Online Program at �ֻ��Ƭ?

“Balance,” she said. “You need to make sure you allot time to study, but you have to have fun, too. You need to balance work, family, school and self-care – relaxing or exercise, going out with friends. There were days I definitely thought to myself, ‘I can’t do this,’ and I would just shut down my computer and go for a walk, just clear my mind, sometimes go out with friends… just anything to distract myself.”

Also, she said, “You have to make sure it’s what you want. Passion is really important. If you have (passion), you will give 100%.”

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Magic Johnson to Speak at �ֻ��Ƭ’s 2020 Virtual Graduation

�ֻ��Ƭ — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is best known as an NBA legend, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and becoming a two-time Hall of Famer during his career. Now, Johnson stands out as a businessman and philanthropist – not to mention an idol and inspiration for Americans across the nation and individuals around the globe.

�ֻ��Ƭ is proud to announce that Magic Johnson will be delivering the commencement keynote address at the 2020 Virtual Commencement ceremony taking place on September 25. His drive to create not just a celebrated basketball legacy, but a powerful business empire as well, is a testament to a strong work ethic that can help empower our WCU graduates to strive to reach their full potential.

Magic Johnson hails from a humble background and began playing basketball early in his life. He when sportswriter Jack Stabley watched the young high school player score 36 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists as a sophomore. Johnson has consistently stood out as one of the best basketball players of our time. He was inducted into the hall of fame twice, first for his individual career and again eight years later as a member of the Dream Team.

However, Johnson’s accomplishments extend far beyond basketball courts. His ventures as both a businessman and philanthropist have kept at-need communities front of mind. Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE) provides high-quality products and services that focus primarily on ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities through strategic alliances, investments, consulting and endorsements. As an entrepreneur, Johnson is hailed as the most powerful African-American businessman in the world.

In November 1991, Johnson announced that he had HIV. The Magic Johnson Foundation, established earlier that year, has grown be recognized for its efforts in HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. The foundation operates five clinics that offer care for patients regardless of their ability to pay and has so far tested more than 40,000 individuals, as well as led awareness and prevention campaigns.

The Magic Johnson Foundation also runs The Taylor Michaels Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships for college students from underserved communities, and Community Empowerment Centers that provide urban communities education and empowerment through the innovative use of technology. Over the last 20 years, the Magic Johnson Foundation has become one of the most recognizable philanthropic organizations around the world.

At WCU’s 2020 Virtual Commencement event, graduates, family members and faculty will get to hear from Magic Johnson himself about the drive and entrepreneurial spirit that has made him who he is today.

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WCU-Ontario Celebrates April 2019 BSN Cohort with Pinning

�ֻ��Ƭ — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

�ֻ��Ƭ-Ontario celebrated the pinning of 66 bachelor of science in nursing students on April 4 at the Lewis Family Playhouse. The graduates proudly walked the stage in front of friends and family to receive their pins and lanterns, taking the first steps into their nursing careers.

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WCU-LA Pins 140 BSN Graduates at April Ceremony

�ֻ��Ƭ — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The royal ballroom at Pickwick Gardens was packed as nearly 140 �ֻ��Ƭ-Los Angeles bachelor of science in nursing graduates walked the stage to receive their lanterns and pins this April.

Student speakers Kara Parker and Kevin Lirio reflected on their cohort’s journey together.

“We’re all so excited for pinning today just because that means that we’ve made it through nursing school,” Parker said. “We’ve finally finished our journey and it’s a big step for us. It’s a monumental day for us!”

Congratulations March 2019 cohort! Welcome to the WCU Alumni family. Photos from the event can be found on our Facebook page.

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WCU-Miami Celebrates First BSN Cohort Pinning of 2018

�ֻ��Ƭ — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

�ֻ��Ƭ-Miami celebrated the new year by pinning its first class of bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) graduates this January.

On Jan. 20, friends and family of 34 newly minted BSN graduates filled the Graham Center in Miami for the special event.

“A special thank you to the families, friends, faculty, and associates in attendance,” WCU-Miami Executive Director Joshua Padron said. “Without your dedication to our students, today would not be possible.”

Following the pinning of the graduates, the cohort joined together to say the nursing pledge, a code of ethics followed by nursing professionals, which signifies the cohort’s completion of their schooling and readiness to take their licensing exam.

The Florence Nightingale pledge reads: “In full knowledge of the obligations I am undertaking, I promise to provide care with all the skill and understanding I possess, without regard to race, creed, color, politics or social status, sparing no effort to conserve life, to alleviate suffering and to promote health.”

Check out the full photo album on our official .

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WCU-Ontario Pins 68 BSN Graduates at August 2017 Ceremony

�ֻ��Ƭ — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

�ֻ��Ƭ-Ontario awarded 68 new graduates with their nursing pins in a ceremony held at the end of August.

“Our students strive to be the best, and to watch the students cross the stage and receive a pin from their dean, whom they can now call their colleague, is simply priceless,” WCU-Ontario Student Services Coordinator Roxanne Mendoza said. “The pinning ceremonies are so moving, I can’t help but get choked up at every ceremony I attend.”

WCU-Ontario Executive Director Mitch Thomas and Nursing Dean Diane Morey welcomed graduates and their families to the Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga before Academic Dean Bart Lerner and fellow student Raymond Velasquez gave congratulatory speeches.

Nursing faculty including Dean Robyn Nelson, Associate Dean Brandy Colletti, and instructor Leticia Saldana all helped distribute pins to the graduates, discussed its meaning, delivered the nursing pledge and led the lamp lighting.

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Marriage Proposal Caps WCU-Ontario Pinning Ceremony

�ֻ��Ƭ — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 00:00:00 +0000

At �ֻ��Ƭ-Ontario’s pinning ceremony in September, one BSN graduate experienced a ringing sensation after the event — on her finger, that is.

WCU-Ontario BSN graduate Rakhee Amthabhai’s fiance popped “the question” to her in front of the whole cohort and to the delight of all the friends and families gathered at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Amthabhai said she had a feeling her fiance Hemins Kapadiya might propose afterwards at dinner, but was totally floored when he did it front of everyone.

“That morning he seemed to put in an extra effort to look good. He kept asking me if his hair was OK, or if his shoes matched his suit,” she said. “I knew something was going on, but I didn’t know what.”

Kapadiya and Amthabhai are getting married in India in December. In the meantime, she’s studying for her NCLEX exam and preparing for her wedding and the 1,000 guests they’re expecting. After the wedding, she’ll start looking for work as a nurse.

But until then, her new engagement ring is on her finger, and her WCU pin is on her BSN sash.

“My journey at �ֻ��Ƭ was really amazing and I met a lot of good people and made some great friends there,” Amthabhai said. “I wouldn’t have made it through nursing school and all those late nights studying without them.”

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