STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A new wave of healthcare workers received their diplomas Friday morning at the St. Paul’s School of Nursing graduation ceremony at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield.
The ceremony celebrated 147 graduates, including 118 nursing students and 29 medical assistants.
“Today marks the end of a demanding journey and the beginning of a meaningful one,” said Medical Assistant Valedictorian Grace Cava in her address. “Every one of us sitting here walked into St. Paul’s with different stories and different goals, but we all shared one thing in common: The desire to help others.”
“As we leave this program, we carry more than certifications or skills. We carry the trust of future patients, the lessons of our instructors and the support of those who believed in us every step of the way.”
“There’s someone who is not here today, who is deeply rooted in the reason I’m standing up here,” said Nursing Valedictorian Samantha Rubel, speaking about her late best friend Kelly whom she lost to cancer. “I had the absolute honor of spending time with her at the end of her life. It was in those moments that I learned what it truly means when all that’s left is presence.”
“We are entering a world that needs us, but they need us to be kind. They need us to be patient. People entrust us with their darkest days.”
“Each of you has your own reason why, your own Kelly,” Rubel said. “I want you to know, they are so proud of you.”
The keynote speaker, CEO of Health + Hospitals/Sea View Mathew Levy, commended the graduates for their resilience and shared a story about a patient in his nursing home.
“Mr. Joseph, who was 86 years old, a retired sanitation worker, respected by his peers and had a voice that still carried the confidence of someone who helps strangers for a living,” Levy said.
When the pandemic prevented his daughter from visiting, Mr. Joseph stopped eating and began sleeping more. His nurse, Amy, would find him awake at night, staring at the door.
“One evening after finishing rounds, Amy pulled a chair beside his bed. ‘You drove a garbage truck for 30 years,’ she said softly. ‘Tell me about your favorite routes.’”
Levy said Mr. Joseph lit up, and told Amy all about his career as a sanitation worker. Nurse Amy soon found him sleeping soundly again.
“Weeks later, when his daughter finally walked back through the doors, she found her father smiling again. On his bedside was a note written in careful handwriting: ‘Amy helps me wait.’”
That’s what healthcare workers do, Levy said: “they help people wait. They help people hope.”
Nursing Graduates: Afaf Abed, Gisselle Acosta, Oyinade Ademodi, Kirah Adeyemi, Lauren Akke, Jehan H. Alam, Widline Altine, Shunishkia Aron, Agsa Ashfag, Gregory Bakalexis, Amanda M. Bonura, Carmelo Bravata, Kimberly Calderon, Victoria Carofalo, Christal Cayard, Anish Chacko, Leslene Chandler, Soeudsha Cherfils, Beverly Chichester, Vielka Clardy, Veronica Clarke, Taila Clyburn, Ashley Cole, Rose Cormack, Rafael Dela Pena, James DeNisco, Gabrielle Denker, Ginad DiBernardo, Evelande Dorcelon, Joseph Ebaid, Paula A. Echeverri, Christal Ellis, Lakeya Ellis, Ngozika Ezeogu, Joseph Fiore, Dorine Fleury, Rose Flores Vilca, Chante Fong, Gabrielle Foster, Nadine Friedhein, Kimberly Fung, Shavonna Gadsden, Olga Gerosavas, Kangni Godevi, Vanessa Guerra, Tiko Gvinashvili, Oksana Hanus, Kevelia Haughton, Nadia Hegazy, Gemma Hill, Isabelle Iannizzotto, Colleen Ingargiola, Bella Inotayev, Niyasha A. James, Basirat Jinadu, Michaela Johnson, Rebecca Keisserman, Asal Khafizova, Jerry Lefevre, Kenny Li, Vialyne Louis, Samantha Luzuriaga, Alvin Mackie, Laura Maglio, Rabia Malik, Jamie Mantuano, Dominique Martinez, Walter Martinez, Diana Marquez, Raisa Medina, Evelin Mishin, Justine Molinari, Adilene Monfil, Kayla Morales, Caitlyn Murtha, Amanda Neuman, Alexis Olivio, Alexander O’Neil, Maria Orea Gonzalez, Opeyemi Osolo, Samantha Pepia, Michael Perez, Karen Perez Ramirez, Isabella Pica, Mariessa Pica, Michelle Pica, Roldine Pierre, Ruth Pineda, Nilkay Rattray, Karen Reyes, Alicia Rignola, Brielle Rodriguez, Christian Rodriguez, Samantha Rubel, Olivia Santos, Abigail-Michelle Sarfo, Patrick Saulle, Sujani Senanayaka, Kateryna Serdiuk, Taylor Shearon, Karina Shmulyarenko, Danielle M. Signoretto, Adriana Simbron, Shantell Smith, Valbona Suma, Riana Taranukha, Jennifer Thomas, Avamarie Torres, Jalicia Toussaint, Ermira Uka, Matthew Velez, Dara Viscione, Kaitlin Volynets, Gayan M. Wickramapala, Dazian Williams, Khaliah Williams, Zifeng Wu
Medical Assistant Graduates: Elizabeth Adames, Silifat Abiodun Akinsanya, Myrianne Almonor, Nyazia Bremby, Grace Cava, Woodjeena Destin, Daisy Flores Cruz, Jennifer Garcia, Xiomara Garcia, Jocelyn Hernandez, Kimberly Lopez, Alan Martinez, Melissa Martinez, Nimra Mirza, Daniela Montalvo, Jazmin Pavia Garcia, Precious Rannie, Tatiana Reyes, Taylor Riopedre, Iris Rios, Massa Sando, Alexandria Smith, Shiniya Sukra, Layla Thorne, Emmanuel Toe, Diana Vazquez Torres, Liliana Villanueva, Saniya Williams, Shenella Williams