PRESS RELEASE: AUGUST 7, 2025

SJR State Celebrates Nursing Graduates

Florence Nightingale Awards: Veronica Starr and Eric Searles

Academic Excellence Awards: Caitrin Gilmartin and Aubree Watson

St. Johns River State College recently held a pinning ceremony to recognize students completing the Associate in Science in nursing program. A continued tradition of Florence Nightingale, the pinning ceremony symbolizes the rite of passage into the nursing profession and the care and devotion nurses provide. Graduates received a pin that serves as a reminder of their purpose to serve the sick and infirmed.

During the ceremony, Veronica Starr and Eric Searles were awarded the Florence Nightingale Award for demonstrating outstanding compassion toward others, leadership in class and devotion to clients and their families. The Academic Excellence Award was awarded to Caitrin Gilmartin and Aubree Watson.

Nursing graduates include:
Tanyan Adams, Cassandra Jade Alas, Rachel Andersen, Maria Anleu, Caleb Arrants, Kirsten Bass, William Bast, Miracle Bennett, Kaitlyn Brunner, Chauntavia Cannon-Taylor, Kelli Carr, Elizabeth Chapman, Christie Anne Coleman, Sienna Connelly, Richard Crawford, Toni Cyrus, Saulo Da Silva, Kaytlyn Deel, Kyrsten Douglas, Ashley Evans, Ricky Evans Jr., Caitrin Gilmartin, Janiya Gilyard, Antoria Grant, Ciara Heard, Alyssa Hering, Kaitlyn Jackson, Samentha Jean-Baptiste, Trevor Kennedy, Grace Renae Knepper, Wendy Luna, JoAnna Medina, Sarah Medlin, Carley Phillips, William Rivera , May Lin Savela, Eric Searles, Alexandrea Sims, Catherine Smith, Jesikah Smith, Dylan Sohl, Lynn Sorto, Veronica Starr, Jordan Tilton, Maraiya Usina, Lisa Wardlaw, Aubree Christine Watson, Ally Wells and Alexandra Zephirin.

Graduates are eligible to apply for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The program is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing. Graduates are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

SJR State offers additional healthcare programs such as nursing assistant, the LPN and BSN, respiratory care, sonography, health information technology, radiologic technology and more. For more information on degree and certificate programs in the health care field, call (386) 312-4176 or visit SJRstate.edu.

Additional photos from the ceremony can be found on SJR State’s flickr page.

The Nursing graduating class from the Orange Park Campus

The Nursing graduating class from the Palatka Campus