The University of New Mexico College of Nursing is celebrating the achievements of its students as the Spring 2024 semester concludes. This year's commencement highlighted the outstanding students from the College who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and innovation in nursing education and scholarship.
The College of Nursing has a long-standing reputation for its commitment to excellence in health care education, practice, and research. With the increasing demand for skilled and compassionate nurses, these awards underscore the hard work and talent within the College. They also reflect its commitment to making a difference in health care communities locally and beyond.
Among those recognized were Calissa Emmert and Jalynn Montoya, recipients of the Nursing Leadership Award. This award is presented to a graduating student from any nursing program who has demonstrated leadership skills and qualities.
Emmert expressed her gratitude towards her faculty saying, "I would like to personally say ‘thank you’ to the faculty who nominated me for the award and for believing in me when I did not believe in myself." Similarly, Montoya expressed her gratitude and excitement about starting her career in pediatrics.
Quinlyn McBrayer received the Pre-Licensure Academic Achievement Award for her growth as a pre-licensure student. She credited her mother's influence on her decision to pursue nursing saying, "My mom has been a nurse for over 30 years... Now, having gone through nursing school... I cannot imagine myself doing anything else."
Aimiede Egharevba was awarded the RN to BSN Academic Achievement Award. She praised the RN to BSN program for being organized and supportive.
Kaiwen Xue received the Outstanding NMNEC Dual Degree Award while Craig B Houston was given Robin Armell Memorial Award for his exemplary character and strong communication skills.
Courtney Grassham & Cynthia Johnson were recognized with Professional Graduate Academic Achievement Awards. Both expressed their appreciation for their time at UNM's College of Nursing and the knowledge they gained.
Lastly, Kymm Ann Wallin was honored with the Professional Graduate Nursing Leadership Award for her distinctive leadership qualities during her scholarly and clinical work.
