Mid-State Technical College recognized the achievements of its 37 Nursing program completers in a pinning ceremony Dec. 17 on the Wisconsin Rapids Campus. Graduates were joined by their family and friends in the celebration. 

The nursing pinning ceremony is a celebratory endcap to a nursing student’s academic journey and a bridge between nursing school and a nursing career. It honors and celebrates nursing students and their path to becoming a nurse. It is also a day of celebration for the nursing faculty who have helped the students reach their goals. 

December 2024 Nursing graduate, Chiaki Friemoth of Neillsville, considers the nursing pinning ceremony to be a pivotal moment in the nursing journey. “It recognizes our hard work, perseverance, sacrifices and everything in between to get to where we are today,” she said. After graduation, Friemoth will begin Marshfield Clinic’s Emergency Department (ED) Critical Care Nurse Residency Program in Marshfield.

“I found out about Mid-State’s Nursing program’s stellar reputation before I started, so I was glad I made the right decision,” Friemoth added. “It is a great foundation when working towards being an RN, then you have the option to do a BSN after if you choose to. I really liked that our instructors have first-hand experiences that they share with us and incorporate in their lectures.”

“I am incredibly proud of our Nursing graduates,” said Deb Johnson-Schuh, dean of the School of Nursing. “The pinning ceremony marks not just the culmination of hard work, but the beginning of a lifelong commitment to caring for others. The journey to becoming a nurse is driven by passion and a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families.”

“Our community needs more nurses—those who are not only prepared with the knowledge and expertise but who also embody the heart and empathy required to provide exceptional care,” added Johnson-Schuh. “I have no doubt this group of graduates will rise to meet this critical need and make an enduring impact in healthcare.”

For Mid-State’s pinning ceremony, each graduating student selects a registered nurse who is a family member, friend or faculty member to join them on stage to place the nursing pin on the graduate during the ceremony, welcoming them into the profession of nursing. 

Kayla Schladweiler, Warrens, a December Nursing graduate, has been accepted to the RN Transition to Practice Residency Program at the Tomah VA Medical Center. “I first heard about Mid-State through some coworkers who highly recommended going to Mid-State,” said Schladweiler, who completed the Nursing program alongside her cousin, Brooke Myher. “My favorite memories from nursing school are the study dates Brooke and I had before tests, the carpooling to classes with all the laughs and jam sessions we shared and the friends that have been made along the way.” 

“I chose nursing because I love how big of an impact you can make in someone's life in this profession,” said Nursing graduate Brooke Myher, Norwalk, who has accepted a job at Tomah Health in acute care where she was previously a CNA and a nurse intern. “It is stressful, but it is so rewarding. I love healthcare as a whole and I really enjoy learning about what makes a person who they are and how I can be there to help them in times of need.”

Following are Mid-State’s fall 2024 Nursing graduates recognized in the Dec. 17 nursing pinning ceremony. 

Allison Bertrand – Stevens Point
Allie Blanchard – Schofield 
Lucy Bootz – Verona 
Ashly Canapa – Wisconsin Rapids 
Caitlin Casey – Wisconsin Rapids
Nicole Chapley – Wisconsin Rapids
Samantha Cowart – Stevens Point
Molly Desrochers – New London
Jasmin Duranceau – Birnamwood
Chiaki Friemoth – Neillsville
Abigail Fuller – Rudolph
Kristine Gatlin – Marshfield
Fiona Gonzalez Pilsner – Stevens Point
Samantha Hanley – Wisconsin Rapids
Samantha Hoch – Stevens Point
Mia Iwinski – Wisconsin Rapids
Mataya Kado – Stevens Point
Ashley Koch – Wisconsin Rapids
Julia Lang – Plover
Shantel Masonick – Nekoosa
Taylor Modrzewski – Stevens Point
Logan Multerer – Stratford
Brooke Myher – Norwalk
Sara Novitzke – Marshfield
Serenity Perkins – Neenah
Sierra Petrusky – Plainfield
Abby Ruedinger – Larsen
Maria Salinas – Waupaca
Kylee Scheunemann – Spencer
Kayla Schladweiler – Warrens
Celina Stillman – Port Edwards
Kelsey Strong – Stevens Point
Chloe Theisen – Wisconsin Rapids
Alivia Veres – Stevens Point
Abigail Wangen – Stevens Point
Jonathan Weishaar – Westfield
Joelle Zuelsdorff – Medford

Learn more about nursing pinning and Mid-State’s Nursing program at mstc.edu/nursing-pinning.