Nursing students welcomed in traditional induction ceremony at Indiana University Kokomo

Last Updated on August 23, 2026 by Cass County Communication Network

KOKOMO, Ind. — Nearly 70 students wore the red scrubs that mark them as Indiana University Kokomo nursing students for the first time during the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions’ traditional induction ceremony on Wednesday (August 19).

The new students, selected through a rigorous acceptance process, each crossed the Havens Auditorium stage, receiving a certificate of accomplishment, and recited the Nursing Pledge, a promise to uphold the ethics of the nursing profession. The Indiana Nurse Honor Guard also participated in the ceremony.

Assistant Dean Stephanie Pratt welcomed students, faculty, staff, and family and friends to the ceremony, calling it “the start of a wonderful journey.” She said acceptance into nursing school is a gift they will use to make a difference.

“On this journey, you will have the opportunity to give a gift with the gift you have been given, and isn’t that splendid,” she said. “We are given the opportunity to serve, to share in life’s journey with others. There truly is nothing small about this wonderful privilege that you have been given, to become a nurse.”

Julie Saam, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, also offered congratulations.

“Nurses hold vital jobs in our communities, and thus they are held to high standards,” Saam said. “Not just anyone can become a nurse, and we have high standards for our nursing students. I am certain that the journey that brought you to our program today required your significant talent, effort, sacrifice, and perseverance, and I commend you for all that you have done to get where you are today.”

Dean Angela Opsahl said nursing requires a high level of proficiency, skill, ethical responsibility, and heartfelt dedication, and that nursing is a calling that blends clinical expertise with compassion and empathy. The school’s rigorous curriculum, hands-on clinical training, and access to outstanding faculty, along with opportunities to work in the nursing foundations skills lab, the simulation center, and community clinical practice sites will prepare them to meet the challenges of a dynamic healthcare landscape, Opsahl said, and encouraged them to take part in student life, to build relationships, and grow personally.

“Remember, you are not alone,” she said. “Our faculty and staff are here to guide and support you. Lean on and embrace your classmates, respect your differences, and build a community rooted in care and collaboration.”

Brian Arwood, assistant professor of nursing, encouraged family members to provide support behind the scenes.

“You are the foundation that will hold them steady when the weight of this journey feels heavy,” he said. “Nursing is not just a career, it’s a calling that demands resilience, compassion, and courage. And while our students will learn the science and the skills here, the strength to keep going often comes from home. From you.”

Students recognized are listed by hometown. They include:

Amboy: Cherish Dillon

Anderson: Ashley Banegas Nunez

Brownsburg: Oluyemi Okunade

Bunker Hill: Krista Batchelor

Burlington: Gannon Guinn

Danville: Kingsley Okah

Denver: Chanikarn Santipanarux

Elwood: Allison Retherford

Fort Wayne: Oluwaseyitan (David) Dairo, Lea Mummert

Frankfort: Noemi Garcia, Vannessa Guardado, Taylor Hornbeck, Brandon Lopez-Mejia, David Santiago, Nelson Santos

Frankton: Karlee Cole

Galveston: William Rose

Gaston: Olivia Delaney

Goshen: Alina Ramirez

Greentown: Katie Hendricks, Ava Kantz, Madison Wyrick

Jonesboro: Maxwell Holloway

Kokomo: Hyewon Cho, Jaimasynn Craig, Audrey Hoover, Tashona Jones, Maria Rivera, Daylen Shrock, Brielle Smallwood, Savannah Swank, Aniya Sweet, Meg Tuberty, Erika Washington, Mackinley Davis

Lafayette: Ava Pitts, Nu Phi Phi Tran, Larissa Tungate

Logansport: Gracee Baer, Lesly Gutierrez, Ava Martin, Derry Rojas Ceciliano, Vanessa Santos-Toloza, Tiffany Warf

Macy: Jena Chandler, Harper Golliher, Victoria Masters

Marion: Erin Anderson (Fleece)

Milan: Elly Potts

Monon: Abigail Tribbet

Muncie: Alexis Franks

Noblesville: Lilly Wilomovsky

Palestine: Katie Fritts

Peru: Evie Ansari

Russiaville: Emma Williams, Isabelle Wunderlich

Somerset: Rylee Richardson

Star City: Hannah Anderson

Stilesville: Anna Burns

Tipton: Jaylie Springer

Wabash: Jaycee Jones, Kayne Zahler

Walton: Victoria Hillis, Bailey Mills

Westfield: Jennifer Berkner, William (Parker) Hamernik, Elijah Turner

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.

SOURCE: News release from Indiana University Kokomo