ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Graduates of the 2026 Associate Degree Nursing (A.D.N.) program received their pins at College of The Albemarle’s (COA) annual pinning ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, in the Performing Arts Center at COA – Elizabeth City. This year, 36 graduates completed more than 800 clinical hours, along with 432 classroom hours and 192 lab hours.
The pinning ceremony included the presentation of pins, the lighting of the Nightingale Lamps and the reciting of the International Council of Nurses’ Pledge.
Back Row (from left): Jennifer Trapnell, Maria Ortega Andrade, Deniz Bekci, Gerardo Velasquez-Granados, Kiah Page, Casey Norris, Ni’ah Gilliam, Aubrey Sopher, Amber Beaty, Fiona Rewis, Amber Routten, Kate Hamm, April Coen, Cassandra Simons, Shelby Ayers, Gennis Edwards, Michael Wood, Jennifer White, Aliza Gilbert, Angelica Galarza Roldan
Middle row (from left): Audra Vanhorn, Tiffany Archer, Miranda Phillips, Sariah Lassiter, Rubi Delgado-Cupil, Lia Newbern, Eric Pritchard, Abigail Burkholder
Front row (from left): Jordyn Dick, Haley Bryant, Brooke Truesdale, Juraill Simpson, Olivia Rountree, Trinity Copeland, Kaya Creamer, Jillian Giffin
During the ceremony, several A.D.N. students received awards and scholarships in recognition of their academic excellence. Lia Newbern, Fiona Rewis and Aubrey Sopher received the Academic Recognition Award. This award is given to students who maintain a 3.5 GPA during their studies at COA. Lia Newbern also received the Academic Excellence Award, presented to the student with the highest grade point average (GPA) during the A.D.N. program.
Gennis Edwards, Angelica Galarza Roldan and Michael Wood received the Dr. L. Everett Sawyer Award. This award is presented to students who display outstanding abilities in all facets of nursing. It was established in 1984 in memory of Dr. Sawyer, a loyal and generous friend of COA’s A.D.N. Program. Recipients are selected by the A.D.N. faculty each year.
The Dr. Zack D. Owens and Martha Anderson Owens Nursing Endowment Scholarship was given to Amber Beaty, April Coen, Gennis Edwards, Angelica Galarza Roldan, Jillian Giffin, Lia Newbern, Maria Ortega Andrade, Eric Pritchard, Olivia Rountree, Jennifer Trapnell and Michael Wood. Scholarships are presented to selected full-time nursing students who maintain a 2.5 GPA. Dr. Zack D. Owens, a surgeon in Elizabeth City, and his wife, Martha Anderson Owens, a registered nurse, formed a highly skilled medical team at Albemarle Hospital. In 1983, Dr. Owens established the endowment to provide scholarship opportunities for nursing students.
“The A.D.N. Class of 2026 has demonstrated compassion, teamwork and determination throughout nursing school,” said Katie Miller, COA Associate Degree Nursing Department Chair and Associate Professor. “We are incredibly proud of these graduates and are confident they will make a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients and communities for years to come.”
Congratulations to the COA Associate Degree Nursing Class of 2026:
Tiffany Archer, Currituck
Shelby Ayers, Pasquotank
Amber Beaty, Pasquotank
Deniz Bekci, Hampton, Virginia
Haley Bryant, Pasquotank
Abigail Burkholder, Camden
April Coen, Pasquotank
Trinity Copeland, Chowan
Kaya Creamer, Dare
Rubi Delgado-Cupil, Pasquotank
Jordyn Dick, Bertie
Gennis Edwards, Pasquotank
Angelica Galarza Roldan, Dare
Aliza Gilbert, Currituck
Ni’ah Gilliam, Chowan
Jillian Giffin, Pasquotank
Kate Hamm, Pasquotank
Sariah Lassiter, Pasquotank
Lia Newbern, Currituck
Casey Norris, Perquimans
Maria Ortega Andrade, Dare
Kiah Page, Chowan
Miranda Phillips, Pasquotank
Eric Pritchard, Pasquotank
Fiona Rewis, Currituck
Olivia Rountree, Gates
Amber Routten, Pasquotank
Cassandra Simons, Chowan
Juraill Simpson, Bertie
Aubrey Sopher, Chowan
Jennifer Trapnell, Currituck
Brooke Truesdale, Perquimans
Audra Vanhorn, Washington
Gerardo Velasquez-Granados, Dare
Jennifer White, Perquimans
Michael Wood, Dare
For COA’s Associate Degree Nursing program information, visit www.albemarle.edu/adn or contact Kathryn Miller at [email protected] or 252-335-0821, ext. 2280.
For all other COA-related information or media inquiries, contact Tammy W. Sawyer, COA Director of Communications and Marketing, at [email protected] or 252-335-0821, ext. 2420.