The Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing and Wellness at GCU celebrated the graduation of 23 students who successfully completed the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (A.B.S.N.) program. Photos from the event can be viewed here.
“We are so proud of these new graduates, they have worked extremely hard to get here and their commitment and dedication to the program and to the field of nursing is admirable,” said Teri Wurmser, Ph.D., RN, Dean of the Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing and Wellness at GCU.
The is only the second graduating class from the program which was launched in 2020. The accelerated nursing program is a 14-month intensive, hands-on experience that prepares students to complete their bachelor’s degree and achieve Registered Nurse licensure in a compressed time frame.
The graduates participated in the traditional Pinning Ceremony that dates to the 1800s and represents the nursing education journey. The pin, which symbolizes the new nursing credentials, is presented by a faculty member selected by the student who has supported or mentored them throughout this journey. The new graduates also repeated the Florence Nightingale Pledge and the Presentation of the Roses, handing out roses to the special people in their life who helped them achieve their goals.
The address to the graduates was given by Andrew Strucek, a resident of Brielle, who also received the Richard Hader Excellence in Nursing Award for achieving the highest GPA. “Our professors have given us the tools to learn, but we now take those tools and start a new journey, for our education never ends,” said Strucek.
Below is the list of the A.B.S.N. class of 2023 graduates:
- Brooke Van Deventer, Barnegat
- Christian DiAntonio, Barnegat Light
- Andrew W. Strucek, Brielle
- Rebecca L. Lustgarten, Cream Ridge
- Stephanie M. Healy, Egg Harbor City
- Daniel P. Maloney, Fair Haven
- Monica Kovbasyuk, Freehold
- Danica Sharpley, Howell
- Ashley C. Shaloo, Keyport
- Chava Berkowitz, Lakewood
- Devorah Mehl, Lakewood
- Yisroel Y. Rotberg, Lakewood
- Bracha Shurin, Lakewood
- Jill S. Adoni, Marlboro
- Kelly A. Gifford, Morganville
- McKayla A. Conti, Ocean
- Terri R. Wall, Rumson
- Ngozichukwu V. Arisa, Toms River
- Nashla J. Bedran, Toms River
- Alexis La Belle, Toms River
- Annet David, Union
- Hannah Vorotinov, St. Louis Park, Minnesota
- Zahava M. Zuroff, Cincinnati, Ohio
Approximately 85% of GCU nursing students are employed within a Hackensack Meridian Health facility within 3-6 months of completion of their degree. As a result, GCU nursing graduates serve families and patients throughout Ocean, Monmouth, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Middlesex Counties.
The Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing and Wellness at GCU offers a variety of nursing education programs including the BSN, a 14-month Accelerated BSN, the New Seminary Accelerated Nursing program for Jewish women, and a Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing.
