Wegmans School of Nursing Holds Inaugural Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Capping Ceremony

On Wednesday, April 29, the Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher University honored its inaugural cohort of the certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) program during the first annual Student Nurse Anesthetist Capping Ceremony.

Family, friends, and the greater University community were present to celebrate students entering into nurse anesthesia clinical rotations. Each student was presented with a personalized scrub cap, a symbol of the next step in their academic journey. 

During the ceremony, Dean Tricia Gatlin, Program Director Eric Ledwin, and Assistant Program Director Jennifer Spilberg addressed the cohort. President Gerard Rooney also welcomed the students, offering them motivation as they continue to move forward in the program. 

“I encourage you to embrace the responsibilities that come with this cap. Let it remind you of the trust patients place in you, the standards you are called to uphold, and the University community of faculty, preceptors, and peers who believe in your potential,” he said. “My hope is that when you reach your graduation from the program, you will look back on this moment with pride knowing that you stepped into a demanding, meaningful, and life-changing profession both with purpose and with heart.”

The cohort of 10 included Anthony Taormina, Teyanee Harewood, Mason Grimes, Phil Burdick, Teddy Polasek, Noah Tran, Trevor Colegrove, Kate O'Donnell, Stephanie VanPatten, Lyndon Whitney, and Joanna Elledge.