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August 26, 2026
by: Janine Wine
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
TCAT Dickson
Dickson, TN: Nineteen practical nursing students from TCAT Dickson’s campus located at the Dickson Center of Higher Education were honored during a traditional pinning ceremony held Tuesday at First Baptist Church Dickson.
Stephanie Murphy, TCAT Dickson Director of Nursing and Health Careers, welcomed graduating students and their families. “This ceremony officially denotes the end of nursing education and the beginning of nursing careers,” Murphy said.
Murphy explained that the nursing curriculum is quite demanding as are the tests. “While all answers are correct, only one is the best answer. In other words, which orange is the most orange.”
According to Murphy, Practical Nursing students spend nearly half of their total program hours completing hands-on learning at clinical sites. Zephyr Rice, received the coveted Outstanding Clinical Award, for her professionalism and work ethic at clinical sites.
Kendra Boone, the only member of the cohort to have a perfect 4.0 grade point average, earned the Outstanding Academic Performance Award. Boone was also acknowledged for having perfect attendance - never missing one minute of the year-long Practical Nursing program.
Murphy explained the criteria for the Peer Award. Each graduating class votes for the peer they would most want to care for themselves or their family members if needed. The Peer Award is reserved, “for the student who shines in all aspects of the nursing program,” Murphy said. Venessa Browning, a first-generation college student, was honored with the Peer Award.
Boone, Browning, and Annabella Shaikh were all applauded for meeting the criteria to be inducted into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS). Students must maintain an “A” average, attend 95 percent of their total program hours, and be nominated by their instructors for this honor.
Each graduate was presented with a candle, and a copy of the Nightingale Pledge, named after Florence Nightingale, to read in unison, while instructors pinned all students. The School of Nursing pins bear an image of an oil lamp resembling the one carried by Florence Nightingale. The candles represent the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next.
Graduates were Julie Adkins, Kierra Bonds, Kendra Boone, Alison Brandon, Venessa Browning, Daniel Chavez, Julia Daniels, Christina Decker, Danyelle Hogan, Rachel Lee, Nichole Leonard, Chelsea Martin, MiKiya Northington, Zephyr Rice, Annabella Shaikh, Allison Springer, Calleigh Stewart, Brynn Stoneman, and Autumn Whittington.
TCAT Dickson has campuses in Dickson, Clarksville, Franklin, and Erin and has served the residents of Dickson, Montgomery, Cheatham, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Stewart, and Williamson counties and other surrounding areas since 1964.
TCAT Dickson is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, and complies with non-discrimination laws: Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and ADA. Located on Highway 46 in Dickson, the technical training college also has extension campuses in Clarksville, and Franklin. Additional information about the school is located at www.TCATDickson.edu.
TCAT Dickson's Summer 2026 Practical Nursing graduates from the Dickson Center of Higher Education campus were honored during a traditional pinning ceremony on Tuesday, August 25. Pictured are front row from left Allison Springer, Calleigh Stewart, Brynn Stoneman, and Autumn Whittington; second row from left Instructor Amy Wuertz, Nichole Leonard, Chelsea Martin, MiKiya Northington, Zephyr Rice, Annabella Shaikh, and Instructor Macy Clark; third row from left Instructor Jeannie Sloan, Daniel Chavez, Julia Daniels, Christina Decker, Danyelle Hogan, Rachel Lee, and Director of Nursing and Health Careers Stephanie Murphy; back row from left Instructor Megan Tomlin-Tidwell, Julia Adkins, Kierra Bonds, Kendra Boone, Alison Brandon, Venessa Browning, and Instructor Kristen Moffitt.
TCAT Dickson Practical Nursing students receiving special awards during the pinning ceremony on Tuesday are pitcured here with their instructors from left: Instructor Macy Clark, Instructor Jeannie Sloan, Instructor Kristen Moffitt, Kendra Boone - Outstanding Academic Performance Award, Venessa Browning - Peer Award, Zephry Rice - Outstanding Clinical Performance Award, Director of Nursing and Health Careers Stephanie Murphy, Instructor Megan Tomlin-Tidwell, and Instructor Amy Wuertz.
