Mendocino College's recent class of nursing graduates. Photo by Barbara French.

UKIAH – The Mendocino College Nursing program will graduate 31 nursing students on May 25, the largest graduating nursing class thus far for the program.

These students will be eligible to take their Registered Nurse (RN) licensing exams and will provide much-needed relief to local hospitals and health facilities.

Of the current 31 graduating students, 23 are two-year RN students and nine are Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to RN Bridge students. One mother and son have completed the nursing program together and will graduate on the same evening.

All graduating students will receive an associate's degree in nursing. Many students plan to go on to further their nursing education toward bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

The Mendocino College nursing program was originally approved by the Board of Registered Nursing in 2003 and graduated their first class of LVN to RN Bridge students in 2004.

Since that time the program was expanded to a full two-year Registered Nursing program and has yearly admissions. Because of expansion of the nursing program, due in large part to $60,000 in funding from the Mendocino College Foundation, the college has hired two new full-time faculty in the past year.

Karen Wilson and Melissa Hladek, both local RNs, have joined the program director Barbara French and assistant program director Fran Laughton in the instruction and administration of the nursing program.

Currently enrolled in the nursing program are the 31 graduating students, and twenty-four first year students. A new first semester class will be admitted in August. Applications for the two-year RN program are accepted each March, and applications for the LVN to RN Bridge program are accepted each November. Admission to these programs is highly competitive as with all nursing programs within the state.

“Our goal is to produce skilled and intelligent nurses that will serve our community at the highest level possible,” said nursing program director Dr. Barbara French. “Our local community had been very happy with our graduates, and we continue to work hard at educating great nurses.”

The 2007 nursing graduates are Theresa Adair (Clear Lake), Mark Albert (Ukiah), Candace Baroza (Ukiah), Annette Barrera (Willits), Steven Bushey (Nice), Kati Christofferson (Philo), Donald Clancy (Willits), Terri Coker (Nice), Bonnie Covarrubias (Ukiah), Jami Flores (Ukiah), Zorah Gluckman (Potter Valley), Sherri Gravier (Laytonville), Katrina Hale (Lakeport), Shellee Hoomalu (Ukiah), Danielle Jones (Ukiah), Denise LaChance (Ukiah), Rebecca Larson (Ukiah), Lindsay Linnell (Lakeport), Jene Lowater (Kelseyville), Amy Niesen (Willits), Jennifer Prince (Ukiah), Kenneth Robinson (Upper Lake), Denise Sams (Ukiah), Shannon Scatena (Potter Valey), Jennifer Seymour (Willits), Carrie Studer (Ukiah), Kristen Terwilliger (Ukiah), Aura Thomas (Clearlake), Erin Webb (Redwood Valley), Jason Winegarner (Lakeport), and Nicole Woodruff (Willits).

General information on the nursing program can be obtained through the Mendocino College Web site nursing pages, or by calling the nursing office, 468-3099.

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