The Nursing Program at Gateway Community College (GCC) held the Class of 2013 Pinning Ceremony on May 17 at Gateway Community College (GCC). The jubilant ceremony marked the transition from student to professional for 54 graduates. 

A time-honored tradition, pinning ceremonies trace their origins to nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, who received the Cross of St. George from Britain’s Queen Victoria in 1855 for her service in caring for injured British soldiers. When special nursing schools were later founded using Nightingale’s principles and practices, the awarding of pins and medals to outstanding graduates became increasingly common until it was eventually established as a rite of passage from student to practitioner. 

The following students are in the Nursing Class of 2013:

• Ansonia residents Cheryl Miller and Joseph Perrotti
• Branford residents Ashley Biondello, Stephen Buckley, Matthew Evans, Kristina Selander, and Alianna Williams
• Bridgeport resident Claudia Medina
• Bristol resident Ana Linda Albrecht
• Derby resident Katelyn Dure
• East Haven residents Frank Cinque, Carolyn Downey, Teresa Testa, and Jamie Wortman
• Guilford residents Annunziata Germana, and Karen Sousa
• Hamden residents Gaia Mwabuki, and Steve Yee
• Meriden residents Alicia Riley, and Kathryn Solis
• Middletown resident Loreta Brewer
• Milford resident Samantha SaNogueira
• Milldale residents Charles Chua, and Christian Chua
• Mount Carmel resident Joanna Danielewicz
• New Haven residents Anita Obidigbo, Claudia Ramos, Heather Renckowski, Alyssa Serra, Saood Shaikh, and Redonna Welcome
• North Haven residents Terra Ferraro, and Tracy Fusco
• Old Lyme resident Arlene Touranjoe
• Orange resident Eleanor Hylinski
• Plainville resident Tamara Vasquez
• Portland resident Lisa Baars
• Prospect resident Susanna Bennett
• Rocky Hill resident Devoshri Mukharjee
• Seymour residents Hassan Messaoudi, and Joy Vars
• Shelton resident Shay Brophy
• Southington resident Erin Butler
• Stratford resident Geeta Sharma
• Wallingford residents Andrea Cariglio, Nichole Dellaselva, Marybeth Fisher, and Melissa Miranda;
• West Haven residents Shannon Carmody, John Davis, Cindy Godfrey, Annette Limauro, Ashley Nuzzo Gosselin, and Carissa Teta

Since its inception in 2002, Gateway Community College’s nursing program has tripled in size, producing more than 500 graduates. The program features award-winning faculty and has been accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, an organization nationally recognized as a specialized accrediting agency for both post-secondary and higher degree programs in nursing education. It also is the first program of its kind in the state community college system to offer courses and clinical rotations in the evening, making nursing a career option for working students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to pursue it.

GCC continues its proud tradition of being one of the few colleges to provide highly skilled and in-demand workers in a wide variety of healthcare fields. When the Allied Health Programs at Gateway Community College (GCC) held the Class of 2013 pinning on May 21, the evening ceremony marked the transition from student to professional for 56 graduates, many of whom have already been offered employment. 

GCC’s Allied Health Programs offer associate degrees and certificates for some of the most rapidly advancing careers in modern medicine. They include four specialties in radiologic technology — diagnostic medical sonography, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy and radiography — three specialties in nutrition and fitness — dietetic technology, exercise science and wellness and fitness specialist studies - as well as programs for pre-dental hygiene and pre-allied health. It is virtually impossible to avail oneself of healthcare in the Greater New Haven region without meeting a GCC graduate from one of these programs. 

The following students are in the Allied Health Class of 2013:

• Ansonia resident Ryane Kovacs, Radiography
• Bethany resident Lea Sciortino, Dietetic Technology
• Branford residents Patricia Ann Dingus, Diagnostic Medical Sonography; Genevieve M. Thompson, Diagnostic Medical Sonography; Chris Downing, Radiography
• Bridgeport residents Sophia Grey, Dietetic Technology; Christopher Mysliwiec, Nuclear Medicine Technology; Emely Rivera, Radiography
• Cheshire resident Janna Clukey, Radiography
• Clinton residents Kristina Carroll, Dietetic Technology; Jennifer Cusack, Dietetic Technology;
• Derby resident Jacob Foote, Radiography
• East Haven residents Joseph Civitello, Exercise Science and Wellness; Michele Barker, Radiography
• Guilford resident Derek Faulkner, Dietetic Technology
• Hamden residents Donald DesPierre, Exercise Science and Wellness; Fabienne Jean Paul, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Paulina Bergeron, Radiography; Lillian Zayas, Radiography
• Kensington resident Brian Miga, Radiation Therapy
• Meriden resident Jennifer Osborne, Dietetic Technology
• Milford residents Suzanne Lynn Borrelli, Diagnostic Medical Sonography; Shaylene Haggerty, Dietetic Technology; Nichole Carter, Nuclear Medicine Technology
• Monroe resident Kathy Morrison, fitness specialist
• New Britain resident Rachelle Williams, Nuclear Medicine Technology
• New Haven resident Diane Gonzalez, Nuclear Medicine Technology
• Newtown resident Leila McKinnon, Diagnostic Medical Technology
• North Branford resident Ashley Christine Gardetto, Radiation Therapy
• North Haven residents Sarah Luedee, Dietetic Technology; Joseph Delmonaco, Exercise and Wellness; Trong Nguyen,
• Nuclear Medicine Technology; Aesha Patel, Nuclear Medicine Technology; Jessica Coughlin, Radiation Therapy; Lindsay Bolash, Radiography
• Northford residents Marissa Cuomo, Radiography; Amanda Russo, Radiography
• Norwalk resident Aleksandra Barinow, Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Norwich resident Jessica E. May, Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Plainville resident Barbara Drumski, Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Shelton resident Linda Rowell, Radiography
• South Windsor resident Lauren Manuck, Dietetic Technology
• Stratford residents Fatima Santos, Radiation Therapy; Michelle Olexovitch, Radiography; Lindsay Taylor, Radiography
• Torrington resident Ashley Smith, Nuclear Medicine Technology
• Wallingford residents Lyndsey Valintas, Nuclear Medicine Technology; Joseph Allen LaFleur, Radiation Therapy; Michele Fonteyn, Radiography; Alyssa Glade, Radiography
• Waterford resident Valerie L. Ciavaglia, Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• West Hartford residents Lisa Metters, Dietetic Technology; Ismael Santos, Nuclear Medicine Technology
• West Haven residents Michaela N. Hessee, Diagnostic Medical Sonography; Jose Campos, Dietetic Technology; Olivia Villiani, Radiography