Second Annual Nurses' Pinning Ceremony Set for May 8

On Wednesday, May 8, a new generation of nurses will pledge to "zealously seek to nurse those who are ill wherever they may be and whenever they are in need" and to "be active in assisting others in safeguarding and promoting the health and happiness of mankind." These are part of the Nurse's Pledge that 18 candidates for graduation from Texas A&M International University's Dr. F.M. Canseco School of Nursing will recite as part of their pinning ceremony.

The second annual ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. in the Western Hemispheric Trade Center, room 111. Dr. Susan Baker, director of the Canseco School of Nursing, explained that the pinning ceremony is a wide-spread nursing school tradition, celebrated as students complete their course of study and enter the challenging arena of clinical nursing practice.

"In full dress uniform, they recite a solemn pledge to 'do all in their power to make and maintain the highest standards and practices of the profession,' " Dr. Baker explained, "The highlight of the ceremony will occur when nursing faculty award each student a pin representing the Canseco School of Nursing."

Baker continued, saying that the faculty of the school are proud of their students and believe they will be an honor to the University.

"The Canseco School of Nursing is proud of the dedication and achievement of this outstanding group of young women and men who are ready to do their part to help improve the health of people in our community," said Baker.

The candidates to be honored at the ceremony are:

JoAnna Cantu, Jesús Castro, Alma Alicia Flores, Manuel Flores, Irene Gala, Diana Gutiérrez, Andy Linares, Julio Lujano, Laura Ruth Moncivais, Ana Alicia Jimenez, Zulema A. Ramirez, Claudio Alberto Ruiz, Griselda Salas, Lilian Sánchez, Maria de Lourdes Sánchez, Marisa Annette Silva, Patricia Irene Velazquez and Mirna Vergara.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Elizabeth T. Anderson, professor in the University of Texas Medical Branch, School of Nursing and director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Nursing and Midwifery Development in Primary Care. Dr. Anderson is an award-winning author and her textbook, Community as Partner: Theory and Practice in Nursing, received recognition as an American Journal of Nursing "Book of the Year." TAMIU faculty Baker and Dr. Janet Gottschalk taught with Anderson at UTMB and contributed to the textbook, which is used in the Canseco School of Nursing.

For more information, please contact Dr. Baker at 326.2450, visit offices in Dr. F.M. Canseco Hall, room 315, or email sbaker@tamiu.edu. University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu