Kish College holds Short-Term Training Program pinning ceremony

The Kishwaukee College Short-Term Training Programs held a Spring Pinning Ceremony on Tuesday, May 2 in Jenkins Auditorium. Ten students were pinned in recognition of their completion of the Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy Technician and Veterinarian Assistant Programs.

Short-Term Training are non-credit programs that prepare students for a variety of entry-level positions. The programs prepare students to work in the field and to pass national certification testing. Short-term training programs often provide a path to a skilled position that can act as a gateway to further career development.

Pinning ceremonies are a tradition in healthcare professions, the practice can be traced to recognition of people who provided nursing care as far back as the Crusades. Modern pinning ceremonies were revived and became a common practice after Florence Nightingale began rewarding nursing graduates with the Red Cross of St. George after the Crimean War in the mid-nineteenth century. The tradition has since become a common practice in other healthcare professions.

Receiving pins for completion of the Pharmacy Technician Program were: Ronibe Alexander, Jean Meier, and LaShay Smith, all from DeKalb. Pharmacy Technicians are health care professionals who have been trained to assist pharmacists to dispense prescription medication.

Receiving pins for completion of the Phlebotomy Technician Program were: Kelsey Bays, Rochelle; Cesiah Cruz, DeKalb; Madelyn Demings, Genoa; Tomnese Panky, Rockford; Tosha Rincon, Cortland; and Alaina Shelley, DeKalb. Phlebotomy Technicians are healthcare professionals who obtain and prepare specimens for laboratory processing.

Receiving a pin for completion of the Veterinary Assistant Program is Emily Roelfsema, Cortland. Veterinarian Assistants work with Veterinarians and Veterinarian Technicians to provide medical care to animals.

The Pinning Ceremony included remarks by the Short-Term Program instructors: Pharmacy Technician – Kathryn Miller and Shelby Bloede; Phlebotomy Technician – Corie Thibeault; and Veterinary Assistant – Coral Ware. Welcoming the students and their friends and family was Melissa Gallagher, Coordinator of Short Term Training at Kishwaukee College. Attendees enjoyed light refreshments after the ceremony.

For more information on Short-Term Training Programs at Kishwaukee College, contact Melissa Gallagher, Coordinator of Short Term Training, at 815-825- 9466 or at melissa.gallagher@kishwaukeecollege.edu.