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The Nursing Honor Society inducted University of Maine at Fort Kent nursing students and fellow nursing professionals honored students at the Nurse Pinning Ceremony on Friday, May 9, in the Fox Auditorium.

The theme of the ceremony was aligned with the American Nurses' Association, 2015 National Nurses' Week theme: “Ethical practice. Quality care.”

The afternoon ceremony began with inspirational words from Dr. Erin Soucy, Director of the Division of Nursing and Allied Health.

Maine State Board of Nursing, Executive Director Myra Broadway, JD, MS, RN gave the featured keynote address. As Executive Director, Broadway has worked endless hours to distinguish the state of Maine as a leader in many nursing initiatives, nationally and even internationally. She works to serve the nurses of Maine, whether they serve in clinical practice, education, or administration. Broadway has held this position since 1998.

Nursing Honor Society Photo ID: (front row, l to r) Cassandra Pelletier-Dobbins; Emily M.Gardner; Kathryn G. Sharp; Stephanie L. Dube; Holly Thomerson; Amanda C. Nadeau (back row, l to r) Larry Nadeau; Dr. Erin Soucy; Kirk Shively; Michelle Madore; Kate S. Dorsey; Dr. Jenny Radsma; Dr. Tanya Sleeper

Dr. Tanya Sleeper, assistant professor of nursing, introduced the nursing students for induction into the Nursing Honor Society. The honorees included the following: Katelyn M. Beaulieu (Grand Isle, Maine); Patricia G. Belanger (Whitefield, New Hampshire); Chantel L. Bernier (Frenchville, Maine); Sara E. Biggs (Fort Kent, Maine); Anthony P. Corbin (Sisson Ridge, New Brunswick, Canada); Kate S. Dorsey (Freeport, Maine); Stephanie L. Dube (Eagle Lake, Maine); Any R. Durland Faulkner (Easton, Maine); Kristen J. Ellis (Holden, Maine); Emily M. Gardner (New Sharon, Maine); Faye A. Kimball (Westfield, Maine); Sunyea Lee (Houston, Texas); Sonja R. London (Merrill, Maine); Cynthia A. Lynch-McNett (Topsham, Maine); Michelle C. Madore (Fort Kent, Maine); Sally A. Melcher-McKeagney (Fairfield, Maine); Heather L. Montgomery (Caribou, Maine); Jessica A. Mosher (Winslow, Maine); Amanda C. Nadeau (Madawaska, Maine); Jacqueline N. Njebu; Olivia A. Pelletier (Madawaska, Maine); Cassandra Pelletier-Dobbins (Hartford, Maine); Julie A. Reynolds (Baileyville, Maine); Janelle M. Scott (Searsmont, Maine); Kathryn G. Sharp (Mapleton, Maine); Kirk Shively (Fort Kent); Tracy G. Smith (Warren, Maine); Holly Thomerson (Glasgow, Kentucky) and Emily J. Wright (Isleford, Maine).

All students have excelled in the four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at UMFK and are active in campus activities. Each student received an honor cord, which they will wear when they graduate, and a membership certificate.

The UMFK Nursing Honor Society formed in the spring of 1998 for the purpose of recognizing and fostering academic excellence and scholarship among students, alumni, and community leaders in nursing.

Students with a grade point average of 3.0 or above, in the top 30 percent of their graduating class, and who represent the attributes of scholarship as defined by Boyer (1990) and Sigma Theta Tau, the International Honor Society for Nursing, were eligible for induction to the Honor Society.

To begin the Nursing Pinning Ceremony, Dr. Erin Soucy, thanked the following institutions for supporting the graduates during their clinical courses, as well as offering them a setting in which to complete their preceptorships: Acadia Hospital; The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC); Bartlett Regional Hospital (Juneau, Alaska); Calais Regional Hospital; Cary Medical Center; Central Maine Medical Center; Down East Community Hospital; Eastern Maine Medical Center; Franklin Memorial Hospital; Lakewood Continuing Care Center; Maine General Medical Center; Maine Medical Center; Northern Maine Medical Center (NMMC); Pen Bay Medical Hospital; St. Joseph Hospital (Bangor, Maine); Southern Maine Medical Center; and Waldo County General Hospital.

Because the UMFK Nursing Division relies heavily on the hospitals in the region, the organizers presented plaques to Cary Medical Center; Northern Maine Medical Center and The Aroostook Medical Center. These plaques are displayed on a wall in the institution.

Dr. Jenny Radsma, professor of nursing, honored Skyla J. Hamilton-Holderman (Jackson, Wyoming) and Carole Richards (Madawaska, Maine) with the Student Nurse Citizenship Award. The award honors the diligence, manners, responsibility, conscientiousness, and thoughtful involvement characteristic of exemplary citizens.

In an effort to recognize the outstanding achievement of nursing students in their contributions to undergraduate research, the division of nursing has established an award. Senior students, whether as individuals or as groups, may earn consideration for this award for coursework completed as part of the nursing curriculum demonstrating the student's or students' excellent academic ability and scholarly understanding; sophistication, originality, and unusual depth and breadth of the project work; ability to use complex research tools such as primary resources, databases, and specialized databases; exceptional ability to locate, select, evaluate, and synthesize relevant and evidence-based literature from multiple sources.

This year's Undergraduate Research Award goes to Kelly J. Bell (Presque Isle, Maine); Kelsey Ferris (North Vassalboro, Maine); Travis Norsworthy (Fort Fairfield, Maine); and Heather Pelletier (Woodland, Maine). The group identified a particular health need among low-income residents in Aroostook County, they proceeded to assess the hurdles and challenges these group of people and their children experience, and they wrestled with strategies to resolve this problem that adds to the cost of health care in our state and the nation.

The division also honors an alumna or alumnus during the Nurse Pinning Ceremony. The Distinguished Nursing Alumni Award goes to a nursing graduate of the UMFK Bachelor of Science in Nursing program who displays accomplishment in the nursing profession, as well as a commitment to his/her community through volunteer service and humanitarian efforts. Dr. Erin Soucy received the 2015 Distinguished Nursing Alumna Award.

Dr. Soucy graduated from the nursing program at UMFK in 1995. She worked at NMMC and UMFK hired her in 1999. The nursing program, the university, and the university system have benefited from the instruction and leadership of Dr. Soucy. Dr. Soucy has served as the UMFK Division of Nursing director since 2006.

Nurse Pinning Group Photo ID: (front row, l to r) Katie E. Thuotte; Travis L. Norsworthy; Carole Richards; Mary J. Yun; Cassandra Pelletier-Dobbins; Hilary Lavoie; Jennifer D. Pinette (second row, l to r) Kelly J. Bell; Morgan L. Wallace; Taylor G. Butler; Nicole E. Coulombe; Megan S. Dube; Melinda S. Sewall; Katelyn C. Roy; Miranda J. Donovan (third row, l to r) Rebecca J. Martel; Aaron J. Caunter; Sheila G. Lank; Kevin J. Smith; Gaige P. Flewelling; Timothy T. Bair; Dylan T. Ouellette; Krystal L. Paradis; Shawna L. Johnston; Martina E. Giordano; Cynthia M. Wailus

Each year at this ceremony, the division of nursing recognizes a community member who has made an ongoing and outstanding contribution to health care in general, and, in particular, to the advancement of nursing education.

Dr. Soucy presented the 2015 Community Leader Award to Myra Broadway, who is truly an outstanding nurse, leader, and citizen.

Broadway's work and efforts have led our small, rural state of Maine to be recognized as a leader in nursing regulatory practices. She challenged the directors of nursing programs around the state to work together to develop a statewide strategic plan for nursing education, recognizing the need for regulatory agencies and nursing education to work together to achieve nursing education goals.

Broadway serves on the board of directors for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and served on many leadership roles, including president. She led the National Council in many capacities. Such as, Canadian provinces entered into an agreement to use our U.S. NCLEX exam for Canadian nurse graduates. Canadian nurse graduates will now have to pass the same licensing exam to become registered nurses as American graduates.

In her current role, she has worked to increase the interdisciplinary relationships among nurses and other health care disciplines both nationally and internationally. She worked to establish a tri-regulatory collaborative composed of the National Council, the Federation of State Medical Boards, and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Broadway led these groups through efforts to identify common areas of concern, to problem solve, and work together, the first collaborative of its kind. She demonstrated commitment to the National Council's vision of advancing regulatory excellence worldwide when she signed a Memorandum of Understanding with New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, the UK, Singapore, Ontario, and British Columbia, that addresses areas of regulatory concern.

Kelly J. Bell addressed the senior class. She spoke about the nursing student's determination and perseverance; the nursing program's faculty support and encouragement; and shared a few of her personal memories.

Dr. Radsma made the announcement of the students who received their nursing pins. The nursing pin signifies the completion of the bachelor of science degree in nursing and also symbolizes the honor and responsibility held as a professional nurse.

BSN students who received their nursing pins were: Mary C. Alligood (Jay, Maine); Aolele Asafo-Ta'afua (Pago Pago, American Samoa); Stephen W. Babin (Brewer, Maine); Timothy T. Bair (Caribou, Maine); Danielle M. Begin (Fairfield, Maine); Kelly J. Bell; Kim M. Bellefleur (St. Agatha, Maine); Bryan R. Bermingham (Jackman, Maine); Jennifer A. Berry (Bayton, Texas); Amy M. Bertone (Norridgewock, Maine); Katie L. Bessey (New Castle, Maine): Courtney M. Birt (Bangor, Maine); Taylor G. Butler (Palmyra, Maine); Aaron J. Caunter (Lowell, Massachusetts); Beverly Champagne (Perry, Maine); Matthew R. Charland (Palmer, Alaska); Christina M. Cloutier (Greene, Maine); Nicole E. Coulombe (St. Agatha); Cindy L. Cronin (Garland, Maine); Alison Dame (South Portland, Maine) Carla D'Amour (Saco, Maine); Angela M. Davis (Houlton, Maine); Lorraine M. Deschaine (Fort Kent Mills, Maine); Miranda J. Donovan (Marsardis, Maine); Megan S. Dube (Eagle Lake,Maine); Madeleine M. Farren (Eddington, Maine); Maggie Sosofa-Pereira Fanolua (Pago Pago, American Samoa); Gaige P. Flewelling (Houlton, Maine); Bonnie J. Foster (Phoenix, Arizona); Caitlin K. Fowler (Woodland, Maine); Agaleleiiasouma T. Fuimoaono-Solaita (Pago Pago, American Samoa); Monica A. Furrow (Thorndike, Maine); Martina E. Giordano (St. Agatha, Maine); Skyla J. Hamilton-Holderman; Meagan Elizabeth Higgins (Fairfield, Maine); Sandra Lei Ho Ching (American Samoa); Shawna L. Johnston (Islesboro, Maine); Netti-Kate Jordan (Machias, Maine); Stefne A. Kuespert (Hartland, Maine); Sheila G. Lank (Pembroke, Maine); Christina M. Lavoie (Turner, Maine); Hillary J. Lavoie (Fort Kent, Maine); Julie M. Lokken (Bangor, Maine); Cynthia A. Lynch-McNett (Topsham, Maine): Cynthia L. Marengo (Iverness, Florida); Rebecca J. Martel (Virginia Beach, Virginia); Jessica L. Martin (Rangeley, Maine); Sarah J. McConnell (Petawawa, Ontario, Canada); Emily M. McDermott (Waldoboro, Maine); Jessica A. Mosher (Winslow, Maine); Rachael K. Mulrooney (Schwenksville, Pennsylvania); Jessica L. Nalesnik (Winthrop, Maine ); Travis L. Norsworthy; Dylan T. Ouellette (Caribou, Maine); Krystal L. Paradis (Frenchville, Maine); Caroline P. Peckenham (Orland, Maine); Heather M. Pelletier; Cassandra Pelletier-Dobbins (Auburn, Maine); Jennifer D. Pinette (Caribou, Maine); Denise A. Rees (Saco, Maine); Carole Richards; Tory E. Rouse (Haynesville, Maine); Katelyn C. Roy (Fort Kent, Maine); Frances J. Saelus-Togia (Pago Pago, American Samoa); Susan A. Save-Segi (Honolulu, Hawaii); Melinda S. Sewall (Carmel, Maine); Kevin J. Smith (Blaine, Maine); Tracy G. Smith (Warren, Maine); Carmen M. Stanley (Cutler, Maine); Shannon C. Stone (Rockport, Maine); Denise M. Tarr (Cleveland, South Carolina); Laisarini Antoinette Tasila (Pago Pago, American Samoa); Katie E. Thuotte (Monticello, Maine ) Linda A. Trecartin (Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada); Brianna L. Tweedie (Guilford, Maine); Mark Anthony Deguzman Villajuan (Pago Pago, American Samoa); Cynthia M. Wailus (Penobscot, Maine); Morgan L. Wallace (East Millinocket, Maine); Brittany L. Wheaton (Millinocket, Maine); Mary J. Yun (Fort Kent, Maine); and Amy A. Zipperer (Eastport, Maine).

The UMFK Nursing Division faculty and staff are Dr. Erin Soucy; Dr. Rachel E. Albert, associate professor of nursing; Diane Griffin, assistant professor of nursing; Larry Nadeau, nursing resource manager; Sandy Pelletier, assistant professor of nursing; Fran Picard, administrative specialist; Denise Potvin, clinical placement and testing coordinator; Dr. Jenny Radsma; Cheryl Roberts, instructor of nursing; and Dr. Tanya Sleeper, assistant professor of nursing.