The School of Nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston will hold its commencement ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday, April 24, at Moody Gardens in Galveston.
A total of 284 students earned nursing degrees, including 103 from the summer and fall 2008 semesters and 181 from the spring semester. In addition to meeting academic goals, many of the graduates also faced unique challenges resulting from Hurricane Ike, such as losing their apartments and possessions to floodwaters.
At 10 a.m. Friday, graduates will participate in the traditional pinning ceremony, which symbolically welcomes graduates into the nursing profession. The induction ceremony for Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society, was held Thursday.
Pamela G. Watson, dean of the School of Nursing, will deliver the commencement opening and Dr. David L. Callender, UTMB president, will confer degrees. Ellen Fineout-Overholt will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2009.
Ann Scanlon McGinity, chief nurse executive and senior vice president for operations at The Methodist Hospital, Houston, will deliver the commencement address.