Bloomfield College Welcomes New and Returning Students, Faculty at Nursing Convocation

The Frances M. McLaughlin Division of Nursing at Bloomfield College celebrated the beginning of another academic year at its annual convocation ceremony on Thursday, September 12.

 

The convocation ceremony, a signature event for Bloomfield College, serves as an official welcome to the College for nursing students and faculty. Van Fossan Theatre was filled with both new and veteran nursing students as greetings were brought from Bloomfield College President leadership.

 

Bloomfield College President, Marcheta P. Evans, Ph.D., Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Maureen C. Grant, both offered words of encouragement and support to the crowd, which included 50 new nursing students. Reverend Anita Wright, Director of Office of Spiritual Life, delivered a scripture reading.

 

Further speakers included Nursing Chair, Dr. Neddie Serra, who acknowledged each faculty member by name, and Doreen Gagnon, Assistant Professor, who recognized a number of juniors and seniors with awards for their student service.

 

Additionally, the future nurses were heard from the current students who comprise the Bloomfield College Nursing Students Association.

 

Richie Him, President; Daina Zeliff, Vice President; Oscar Maiza, Treasurer, and Julia Villari, Secretary, shared advice and tips with incoming first-year students and offered words of encouragement for their classmates to approach upcoming academic challenges with focus, determination, and camaraderie.

 

Nursing’s Lisa Ruiz, alongside Humanities’ Dr. Fiona Harris and Dr. Nora McCook, presented a panel entitled “'Don’t Run off with the Janitor!': Constituting Ethos in the Archives of a New Jersey Nursing Program, 1915-1925." The research covered three archives from the Presbyterian Hospital of Newark, NJ Training School for Nurses, which was the precursor to today's Frances M. McLaughlin Division of Nursing.

 

President of the NAHN, Deborah LaTorre, closed out the day and presented on “The Benefits of Joining an Organization.”