Montcalm Community College recognized 25 nursing students during a pinning ceremony on May 2 in the gymnasium on the college’s Sidney campus. The students were honored for completing their Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing (ADN), which prepares them for national licensure as a registered nurse.  

Scout Daley, of Jenison, was the student representative for this nursing cohort and addressed the class.

“You know that saying, ‘it takes a village to raise a child?’ Well, the same is true of nursing students,” she said. “It took a lot of dedicated people to get us to this evening.”

She began by thanking her mom for being her role model and MCC’s nursing faculty and staff for their “endless depths of knowledge, and maybe more importantly, a seemingly tireless ability to care.”

“And finally, I want to highlight my classmates,” Daley said. “There’s an indescribable bond between nursing students in the same cohort; I have never experienced such camaraderie before. For the past two years, we wore the same uniforms, had early mornings together, studied late into the night together, and pushed each other to keep going. We shed sweat, tears, and even blood together, and to be clear, I’m talking about the IV lab day – this isn’t a cult, despite what the non-nursing students might think.

“And I have not encountered a harder working group of people. There are a lot of parents in this class, many with young kids at that. We even have a classmate who became a father to a newborn this semester! And so many of my classmates juggled jobs as well, but still made it work,” she said. “I am inspired by how everyone in this class overcame personal challenges and made difficult sacrifices to achieve the dream of being a nurse.”

She closed her speech by talking about the power nurses have.

“This power is derived from the relationship we have with our patients,” Daley said. “We have a covenant with them that is based on trust. With each patient, we promise to guide them and their loved ones through the uncertain times of ill health. We are entrusted to do what is right, no matter what. This is a privileged position.”

Tabitha Keiffer, a full-time nursing instructor member at MCC, also addressed the attendees. She said she reflected on her own journey as a nurse and what a profound impact nurses have on the lives of others.

“Being a nurse means: You will never be bored,” she said. “You will be frustrated at times. You will be surrounded by challenges. So much to do and so little time. You will carry immense responsibility and very little authority. You will step into people’s lives, and you will make a difference! Some will bless you. Some will curse you – especially when there is that dreaded full moon. You will see people at their worst … and at their best. You will never cease to be amazed at people’s capacity for love, courage, and endurance.”

Keiffer also talked about how the honorees will cry and laugh a lot throughout their careers.

“This pinning ceremony has already shown you how capable you are of accomplishing goals when you commit yourself,” she said. “I hope all of you here today take this personal accomplishment as an example of how anything is truly possible when you put your mind to it. As you continue this journey, take each new obstacle with confidence, knowing you have achieved great heights and are equipped with the necessary skills to tackle the future.”

Keiffer was not aware that in addition to being the faculty speaker this year, she also was being honored for her commitment to the students as the recipient of the college’s annual Leslie K. Morford Faculty Recognition Award. Named for MCC emeritus instructor Morford, the award is presented to honor outstanding teachers based on noteworthy work with and on behalf of students, scholarly or professional achievements and service to Montcalm Community College.

Keiffer joined MCC’s full-time nursing faculty in August 2021, having first come to the college in 2017 as an adjunct instructor.

“She is heralded by her students as a caring, engaging, knowledgeable and passionate instructor,” said MCC Board of Trustees Treasurer Kurt Peterson, who presented the award. “She relates well to her students in the classroom and clinical settings and they appreciate her enthusiasm and undying commitment to the nursing profession.”

In a written nomination, one student said, “Tabitha is very kind and encouraging, and she is always willing to help. She is so very patient and provides excellent resources for students.”

Another added, “Tabitha is a great teacher. She explains things in a way that is easy to understand and always takes the time to answer whatever questions students have.”

“Tabitha is an amazing instructor who has clear passion for her courses. She makes sure that the content is digestible and offers students endless tools to succeed,” wrote another student.

Keiffer has earned degrees from Montcalm Community College and Walden University.

“At Montcalm Community College, we are fortunate to have such an outstanding instructor on our staff, and we are proud to recognize Tabitha Keiffer as the recipient of the 2024 Leslie K. Morford Faculty Recognition Award,” Peterson said.

Student honorees included:

Belding

Candice Sager

Cedar Springs

Katie Greene

Crystal

Alexa Edwards

Grand Rapids

Madison Doty

Sylvia Masili

Mason Winters

Grant

Ashley Herin

Greenville

Elise Parks

Gowen

Kaitlyn Bremer

Mellissa Clark

Carrie Russo

Howard City

Abigail Swackhammer

Ionia

Amanda Dufresne

Jenison

Scout Daley

Lakeview

Raychel Nielsen

Lansing

Stephanie Fox

Mecosta

Charles Davis

Mt. Pleasant

Donelda Lawson

Newaygo

Nicole VanderZyl

Rockford

Courtney Jack

Saranac

Jagger Carigon

Sparta

Courtney Rickert

Stanton

Camryn Peterman

Stanwood

Katie Russ

Vestaburg

Brandi Smith