After years of hard work and dedication, navigating life’s triumphs and downfalls, and learning countless skills, the 2025 College of the Canyons nursing program class was celebrated with its pinning ceremony Monday afternoon at the Performing Arts Center.
Student speaker Alexa Gabrielle Empleo reflected on her time in the nursing program at COC and said one thing she always carried with her that her father instilled in her was to strive for your best in what you do.
“As each semester progressed, it dawned to me just how difficult it was to sustain that intrinsically driven need for perfection,” said Empleo. “How tiresome it was to always do your best. But by fourth semester, I finally understood something that was so obvious in the first place, and that was a very simple fact that doing your best doesn’t always mean perfection.”
She talked about how striving for the best didn’t always mean acing an exam or learning hands-on skills. It might have meant just showing up for class or not studying and trusting the information they already knew.
Through her journey at COC, Empleo said she will take away the fact that they were never alone and will never be alone in their field.
“There will be difficult, heartbreaking days where we must humble ourselves before life itself,” said Empleo. “I grapple with the fact that there will be times when our best simply won’t be enough. But we will always have the choice to show up, to keep doing our best regardless, not perfectly, but with purpose, integrity and the truth. Let us remember what a privilege it is to care. The power we hold in our presence, and the people, our people, and the people who we will meet, who made all of this possible.”
Graduating student Tracy Gage also highlighted the feeling of community among the graduating class as they battled their way through a rigorous curriculum that prepared them for what is to come.
“This path, though more condensed and less traditional, has made us resilient, adaptable, and deeply grounded nurses. Tonight’s pin isn’t just a symbol of completion, it’s a badge of endurance, transformation and hark,” said Gage.
Coming from different walks of life didn’t stop the students from connecting with one another. Even through life challenges, student speaker Esmeralda Jimenez said during her “My Journey” speech that the students showed unwavering determination.
Jimenez talked about how she battled sickness, loss, and long nights of studying met with early-morning clinical shifts to get to where she was.
“Through the grief, the illness, and the fear, I held on to that purpose. I learned that dreams to become a nurse do not fade, even when life tries to put it on hold,” said Jimenez. “It stays with us through loss, through illness, through long nights of studying and early-morning clinicals. We kept going, not just for ourselves, but for our family and the people we hope to care for one day.”
Another student speaker, Kenneth Hurley, shared how his journey to become a nurse was not the easiest, and he too had to get over hurdles to meet his goals.
Hurley said he was inspired to become a nurse as he was navigating his own health challenges and was met with openness and care.
“These lived experiences create a deeper capacity for empathy and advocacy. For me, it’s about offering compassionate, nonjudgmental care to those still struggling with addiction. I want them to feel safe enough to seek help and eventually, let go of the illusion of control like I once did,” Hurley said.
Tina Waller, director of the COC nursing program, said that there is no better reward than watching the futures nurses walk across the stage and celebrate their final steps before leaving.
“This job has been one of the greatest highlights of my life. These students are what get me up in the morning. The joy I feel from teaching, mentoring, and seeing them grow into compassionate and skilled professionals is immeasurable. Through them, I’ve not only grown in my role as a nurse and educator, but also as a human being. It’s an honor to be part of the journey, and I carry their stories, their struggles, and successes with me every day,” said Waller.
Interim COC Superintendent David Andrus congratulated the 60 nursing students graduating at the ceremony and told them to strive to be the nurse who listens to their patient, listens to the team, listen to their heart and be the one who advocates for equity, for access, and for the voices who are unheard.
“It is a commitment to meet people in their most vulnerable moments with skill, with calm and with compassion. As nurses, you will be present for these moments that most people will never forget: the birth of a child, the relief of recovery, the dignity of end-of-life care. You will carry both the burden and the honor of being needed, and in doing so you will build trust not just through what you do, but through who you are,” said Andrus.
Professor Shaunasey Lane presented the following students scholarship awards voted on by full-time and part-time faculty members:
- Clinical excellence award: Lizbeth Arellano and Taylor Roberge.
- Florence Nightingale award: Kayle Siccuan.
- Leadership award: Alexa Gabrielle Empleo.
- Academic award: Shanice Conson.
The following students received awards voted on by their peers:
- Cohort cheerleader: Kristen Cueto.
- Most energy at 6 a.m. clinicals: Alexa Gabrielle Empleo.
- Future Nursing professor: Jaskarn Aulakh.
- Best bedside manner: Matthew Streid and Mesrop Panosyan.
Graduating student Julie Barlow recounted the story of Florence Nightingale and lit her classmates’ candles to connect them to the long line of nurses who came before them.
After receiving their pins, the newly graduating students, alongside the current and former nurses in the audience, were led in the nursing pledge by Kayle Siccuan. And with the last words spoken, the students were congratulated on completing this journey.
