Marywood University nursing students continued a recent tradition at the University, participating in the third annual Blessing of the Hands ceremony as they prepare for clinical practice.
This annual ceremony, held in the Marian Chapel, Swartz Center for Spiritual Life, on the University’s campus, honors sophomore nursing students who will begin to apply their classroom studies to direct applications in the field. Junior and senior nursing students also participated in the ceremony.
Sr. Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D., president of Marywood University; Judith A. Williams, Ph.D., MSN, MS, RN-BC, chair of the nursing department; Patricia Falkows, MSN, RNC, clinical instructor of nursing; Kathleen Healy-Karabell, DNP, RN-CNS, CSN, coordinator of LPN/BSN and assistant professor of nursing; and Amy Wescott, MSN, CRNP, clinical instructor, were among the faculty and administrators who welcomed and addressed nursing students, families, and friends.
For the ceremony, Sr. Mary, along with Sr. Catherine Luxner, IHM, blessed the hands of nursing faculty members, who in turn blessed the hands of nursing students and other caregivers among the guests.
The students included, first row, from left: Brianna Sanders, Elizabeth Galioto, Katelyn Meinweiser, Gina Daniels, Katye Trexler, and Megan Pliska. Second row, same order: Natalie Shifler, Katlyn A. Wiestling, Alexandra Taylor Coacci, Kimberly Joan Geary, Livia Angelyn, Amanda Bridgwood, Chloe Anne Borrelli, Kathleen Bridget Ehnot, senior, Dunmore.; Alexandra Valenta, Miranda Marie Sromovski, Amanda Danielle Ward, Joanne Ardiot, Victoria Meyers, and Alexis Kirsch. Third row: Michael Nigro, Najia Azizi, Tabetha Noel, Alyson Lee Moyer, Alyssa Marie Puzio, Kerri Anne Mountz, Obiageri Joy Chikezie, Alexa Natalie Suchnick, Angela Altier, Kayla M. Kulesa, Adrianna Jones, Amanda Ann Bialy,Jeanette Ortiz, Paula Moctezuma,Kara Cassandra Yurkanin, senior, and Kerry Cantreva. Fourth row: Adrian McClendon, Katelyn Jo Snyder, Jennifer Fisher, Kaitlin Ann Siano, Christopher Kovaleski, Marissa Rosalie Grecco, Marjorie Pluviose, Briana Franza, Patti Lynn Pietryak, Molly Ann Mikulak, Ivana Jeanne Leclerc, Ariana Velez, and Dasha Tyson, senior.