First Graduates of Manatee Technical College
First graduates of Manatee Technical College
(Bradenton, FL—December 19, 2014) The Dental Assisting Technology and Management Program graduated 15 students on December 11, 2014. Their Pinning Ceremony was held on December 15 in Cantrell Hall of the Main Campus. They were the first graduating class of the newly renamed Manatee Technical College.
The second set of graduates was the evening class of the Practical Nursing program. The group of 19 students attended part-time for 26 months culminating with their pinning which took place at the Main Campus on December 17.
The dental students have already taken their national board exams and 14 of the 15 are now Certified Dental Assistants. More than half have already been employed as dental assistants in the community. The nursing students will take their licensing exams next month.
The nursing graduates created a special award for one of their fellow graduates, Selma Garcia. They presented the Florence Nightingale Award to the 77-year-old Garcia for being the most compassionate and caring. The petite septuagenarian worked full-time five days a week, attended school two nights per week, and did clinicals on weekends to achieve her life’s dream.
Dental assisting graduate Kristina Pele was presented a $100 award from the Manatee Dental Society for academic and clinical excellence. Her husband is a 3rd year dental student at LECOM School of Dentistry.
One of the other surprises at the nursing graduation was a marriage proposal. When Tiffany Perry’s boyfriend came on stage to pin her, he dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him.
PHOTO: Dental Assisting Technology and Management Program graduates pose for a photo outside the East Campus. The students are the first graduates of the newly named Manatee Technical College. Pictured left to right: Amanda Wood, Ingrid Herrera, Samantha Meade, Amber Price, Crystal Davila, Dominique Silva, Antonia Seres, Morgan Schneider, Elizabeth Finehout, Elissa Alvarez, Danielle Zoeller Bourque, Melissa Voso, Kristina Pele, Cheslie Gilchrist, and Kelsie Valentine.