Ohio University Southern honored 33 nursing graduates during a special pinning ceremony at the Ironton campus. The 2014 December graduates are the largest class of the university’s LPN to RN associate degree program.

The new graduates received pins of recognition from nursing faculty members Annette Ferguson, Mashawna Hamilton and Ginger Hardy. Beth Delaney, associate director of nursing for OUS, provided opening remarks and presented the Outstanding Student Award to Teresa Hall.

Dr. Nicole Pennington, who led the nursing department for nearly seven years prior to assuming her current role as dean last July, served as the keynote speaker for the occasion.

“It is an honor to recognize our graduates for their achievement,” Pennington said. “We are confident they will each go on to do great things throughout the Tri-State area and beyond.”

Many of the graduates currently have jobs in the nursing field and plan to pursue higher degrees in nursing. Now in its 11th year, the nursing program at OUS has graduated 548 nursing students.

December nursing graduates are Tonya Anderson, Kimberly Bentley, Whitney Blackburn, Sarah Burcham, Toni Butterbaugh, Dusti Crabtree, Tammy Delong, Penny Donald, Rachel Evans, Travis Gabehart, Raeanna Garlinger, Elana Gillispie, Danielle Hall, Teresa Hall, Cristen Hannah, Anna Hershberger, Tyler Journey, Tyler Keyser, Kaylee Lindamood, Tracie Lujan, Jonna Morrison, Laura Michelle Neel, Connie Perry, Mary SanGregory, Natosha Staggs, Amy Stephens, Shawnte Stickler, Crystal Sullivan, Florah Deann Tackett, Shelly Thomas, Erica Watson, Stacy Wheeler and Heather Williams.