Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/1340584
www.FredericksburgParent.NET 15 Chira's speech for the virtual pinning ceremony focused on the resiliency of his classmates. Chira witnessed peers who struggled to meet graduation require- ments because of cancelled clinicals, as well as those who worked in various areas of health care taking care of COVID patients and others who contracted the illness themselves. "One of the rewards from this year has been seeing how my class has handled this pandemic," Chira says. "Nursing school was already difficult with a lot of them having families and jobs to support their families. Throw a pandemic on top of a very stressful life trying to balance all the hats people have to wear and it can be very trying as a student. I only have one word to describe this class: resilient." Chira virtually addressed a class of roughly 70 nursing students during the 30-minute pinning ceremony. Being chosen as a speaker "is an honor I cannot express. To see this class overcome so many obstacles to get to this point is so inspiring and I could not be prouder of them." "One of the rewards from this year has been seeing how my class has handled this pandemic." - Chris Chira, Student nursing council president Among those who also spoke during the fall graduation and nursing pinning ceremo- nies were representatives from the college board, student services and the Germanna Educational Foundation, as well as Dr. Patricia S. Lisk, dean of Nursing & Health Technologies and Dr. Janet Gullickson, president of Germanna Community College. Meanwhile, Jessie Harper, student government association president, was the spring virtual commence- ment speaker. "Talking about Germanna is one of my favorite things to do because of how much this college means to me," Harper says. "So, to be asked to be a speaker for the viral ceremony was an absolute honor. I was both excited and terrified." Harper turned to Gullickson for inspiration. "She always speaks from her heart," Harper says. "That's how I tried to prepare mentally. The experience of getting to be a part of the virtual ceremony was phenomenal. It was like many other opportunities that I have been blessed to have had at Germanna: exciting, nerve racking, something I will never forget, and something I will be showing everyone I know because of how cool I think it is." OAL OAL the the