As cohort speaker, John Rowland urged his fellow vocational nursing graduates at American Career College-Ontario to reflect on how quickly some things change.
"We're definitely not the same people we were 13 months ago," Rowland said. "We're smarter, stronger and absolutely more confident. We also possess skills that set us apart and have prepared us for what we were meant to do: care for the sick and wounded.”
Before receiving their VN pins, Rowland and his 30 classmates wanted to thank the people who had offered any kind of support — be it financial, physical or emotional — at some point during the program.
“Sure, we did the hard stuff, but without you, this journey would have been 100 times more difficult," he told the audience, "so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all you’ve done.”
Rowland also singled out several of his ACC instructors, including Cecile Villacorta, who he thanked for her trust, her confidence in him and “her highly addictive banana bread.”
VN instructor Alice Quesada, who taught the cohort during its first term, made a world of difference with her teaching style, he said.
"I truly feel like she has one of the most important jobs here at ACC. She takes 40 or so people in the very beginning that completely have no idea what’s coming for them," Rowland said. "She stops their heads from spinning and points them in the right direction to hopefully be standing where we are right now.”
Rowland said "Mrs. Q" had a pre-test ritual to help calm students' nerves and instill confidence that always emphasized four simple words: “You can do this.”
“Now I have the honor and privilege of saying my own four words to Mrs. Q," Rowland said. "We all did this.”
Back to News
