ELIZABETH, NJ - One hundred and six students received their nursing diplomas from the Trinitas School of Nursing for what would have been the 165th Convocation Ceremony on January 21. Although a typical ceremony was not held, 89 women and 17 men became eligible to sit for the registered nurse licensing exam. Individual photos were taken by Grace Photography and edited to create the class photo.
“Trinitas School of Nursing is a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence in Nursing Education for the fourth time,” said Dr. Roseminda Santee, Dean of the Trinitas School of Nursing, which is affiliated with Union County College, and also awards Associates in Science Degrees to the graduates. “I have data to show that the enrollment and applications to the School of Nursing have increased. And during the pandemic, it did not falter. It continued increasing. You would think that people would no longer be interested. Instead, they go forward. We are very proud of our class of January 2021, and our faculty and staff, for doing this professional work during a very challenging situation and practicing all precautions including screening, social distancing, handwashing, and masking.”
Graduates of the School of Nursing include:
Bukola Aderonke Ashatokun, of Orange; Anastacia Ugochi Ayorinde, Middlesex; Jerrika Berry, Carteret; Siddeeqah S. Brooks, of Bethlehem, PA; Shian Karolin Durham of Freemansburg, PA; Gabrielle Gard of North Bergen; Nora C. Ginorio of Sparta; Nickilee S. Graham of Keyport; Alexandra M. Green of Summit; Stephanie V. Hernandez of Kenilworth; Nestor V. Hounkpatin of Middlesex; Hillary Stalia Hyppolite of North Brunswick; Abass S. Macauley of Parlin; Candace McIntosh of South Plainfield; Vanita M. Menezes of Springfield; Jessenia A. Montero, of North Arlington; Phuc Hanh Nguyen of Somerset; Preya Ramchand, Adrienne N. Nix, and Matilda Yimnai Mbongho Nkellefack, of Plainfield; Alyanna Jan Nuesa of Edison; Ybanna Mora, NewYork, NY; Trina Nicole E. Paranete, of Dunellen; Ardly Pierre Jerome, Eatontown;
Nathaly C. Pineda Gamez, of Clark; Domenica L. Gonzalez-Robalin, Jackelyn Justiniano, Andreza D. Catalunia, Diane Kathryn Degracia, Shamise Y. Edwards-Johnson, of Linden; Kimberly Ann B. Anoche, James Ryan Davis, Mina O. Dwamena, Kisha Elien, Alicia D. Gladstone, Adrianna S. Gomez, Camilia Hamzaoui, Charlie Izquierdo, Andrews S. Marsden, Wenscent-Irv Pua, Dee Lorraine Solon, of Union;
Anes F. Nya Sandjong, Carla Munoz, Haova A. Rakotoarivo, Elizabeth G. Rodriguez, Iris Rubio, Chaira Tejeda, Alex Patricio Miranda, Naama Jules, Emily L. Londono, Renata Paola Lopez Naranjo, Andrea N. Maravi-Broggi, Felicia Ababio, Alexander Decker Abiel Andre, Rokshana Bibi, Marangelly Correa, Steves R. Fankwa, Karen Farro, Johanny Felli, Karla C. Feminello, Diana Katherine Hoyos, Kimberly S. Unisa, Carmen Ines Vargas-Figueroa, Eurydice T. Williams, Diana C. Martinez, Kleidy Y. Martinez-Prado, of Elizabeth;
Maidah Sunduza, Dorine Sigue, of Irvington; Adrian A. Martinez, Brian Militante, Anne W. Ndungu, Syeda H. Saad, of Jersey City; Robertson Dumerand, Geraldine Tandoc, of Hillside; Anais A. Aulisio, Sylvie Marie-Paule Odra, Freda Quaye, Esther Rukayat, of Newark; Gaina T. Pierre, Raissa Sidoine Tchimtchoua, Victoria B. Frazier, of Roselle; Melissa Marie Buchanan, Elisa Sheng Correa, Daniela Stephanie Demuth, Flora Bassey Ekong, GinaMarie Giordano, Shpresa Islami, and Danielle Nicole Moberg, Staten Island, NY; Angelika A. Perez Ohara, Caitlin Ann Speers, Fernando Gregoire, and LaTasha S. Benson, Roselle Park; Monique Rickeela Richards, of Bronx, NY; Johana Clerge and Paulette Daw, of Brooklyn, NY; Roxsanne Tenia, Port Reading; Savithre Narayan, Woodhaven, NY; Samy Pigne, Justin E. Appenzeller, and Kristen A. Perrine, of Rahway; Alejandra Urday and Jared D. Orendain, of Morristown; Lauren P. Worthington, of Westfield; and Nelliann Alvarado, of Whitehouse Station.
Awards were given to graduates as follows:
First Scholarship Award – Carla Munoz, Elizabeth
Second Scholarship Award – Stephanie Hernandez, Kenilworth
Auxiliary Award – Mina Dwamena, Union
2021 Nursing Service Professional Transformation Award – Adrianna S. Gomez, Union
Lily Bierstein Memorial Award – Fernando Gregoire, Roselle Park
Gerontological Nursing Award – Caitlin Ann Speers, Roselle Park
Alumni Association Award – Alex Patricio Miranda, Elizabeth
Curtis Crumbley Memorial Award – Kleidy Martinez-Prado, Elizabeth
Naeisha Massenburg Memorial Award – Carla Munoz, Elizabeth
George F. Billington-Leadership Award – Stephanie Hernandez, Kenilworth
Emily H. Wall Memorial Award – Maidah Sunduza, Irvington
Giving Back Award – Nickilee S. Graham, Keyport
Daisy Award – Ardly Pierre Jerome, Eatontown.
Trinitas School of Nursing, operated jointly by Trinitas Regional Medical Center and Union County College, currently holds full accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), and the New Jersey State Board of Nursing. The National League for Nursing has awarded the School of Nursing a fourth designation as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education status for the years 2015 - 2024 for Creating Environments that Enhance Student Learning and Professional Development. The School also holds a 20-year, 40-class national licensing examination (NCLEX) passage rate of 86.30% on first writing. For more information about Trinitas School of Nursing, visit www.trinitasschoolofnursing.org
