The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) inducted four students into its associate nursing degree honor society at a ceremony Sept. 13 at the college’s La Plata Campus.
Professor Janice Bonham served as mistress of ceremonies as each of the second-year nursing students was called forward to receive a pin and an honor cord that they will also wear when they graduate. Professor Dr. Karen Russell was the faculty speaker at the ceremony.
CSM nursing student Rachael Yatty of La Plata, one of the inductees, spoke at the event about the history of Alpha Omega, which is CSM’s chapter of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society. Other newly inducted students are Hailey Caldwell of Hollywood, Rachel Jaclyn Muir of Lexington Park and Brian Whitworth of Owings.
The path to induction in the honor society involves nursing students becoming provisional members at the beginning of their third semester of study. They must maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade point average, earn a “B” or higher in all courses required for the nursing program with no previous nursing course failures, and reflect sound moral and ethical values with professionalism and integrity of the highest caliber.
Provisional members must also complete a scholarly project related to the advancement of nursing as a profession. The fall semester inductees conducted a presentation to high school students enrolled in the Academy of Health Professions at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology center in Leonardtown, encouraging them to pursue a career as a nurse.
CSM faculty advisers for the Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Delta Nu are Nursing Professors Russell and Lynn Kennedy.
The honor society was established to promote scholarship and academic excellence in the profession of nursing. “The objective of the OADN Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society shall be to recognize the academic excellence of students in the study of Associate Degree Nursing,” according to the honor society’s website. “The society shall encourage the pursuit of advance degrees in the profession of nursing as well as continuing education as a life-long professional responsibility. Additionally, the society shall participate in the recruitment of qualified individuals into the profession of nursing.”
For more information on CSM’s nursing program, visit www.csmd.edu/nursing. To view photos from the event, visit http://csmphoto.zenfolio.com/17fallnurhonors.