St. Elizabeth College of Nursing graduates 53 nurses in latest class

UTICA, N.Y. — St. Elizabeth College of Nursing (SECON) in Utica graduated 53 new nurses during a ceremony held May 13.

SECON held its 117th graduation ceremony at Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish, formerly the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, in Utica. Bagpipers led the graduating nurses across Genesee Street into the church, per a video posted on the SECON Facebook page.

Of the 53 graduates, 40 attended weekday classes and 13 participated in the evening/weekend program, per the announcement from the Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS).

Dr. Kimberly Panko, president of the St. Elizabeth College of Nursing; Julie Wells-Tsiatsos, dean of student and faculty development; Benjamin Thomas, a registered nurse (RN) and weekday senior-class advisor; and Susan Read, RN and weekend senior-class advisor, presided over the ceremony. They presented the graduates with their associate degrees in nursing.

Adrianne Taft and Alessandra Pasqualino were the valedictorians, and Danielle Casab was the salutatorian.

Dr. Mark Montgomery, chief diversity officer and deputy Title IX coordinator at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, delivered the commencement address.

SECON is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc., and registered by the New York State Department of Education, MVHS said.