Coming Together at Commencement

Before Commencement 2018, these master’s in nursing graduates were just names behind computer screens. Throughout their studies, they were in many of the same courses and ended up in many of the same work groups. Over time, they realized their team worked well together. Linda Schneider recalls, “Working [with] the team approach helped each one of us succeed.” She says they didn’t immediately find each other when they attended Commencement at Albany’s Empire State Plaza Convention Hall in July 2018; instead, they held up cards with their names on them and gradually amassed their group. Schneider says they were “elated” to find each other because it made the day that much more special to finally have their study group together in person. The graduates come from four different states and include, from left to right, (front row) Maxine Smalling, Lee Melvin, Kristin Covington, Linda Schneider and (back row) Olukemi Kuku, Michelle Mooney, and Kimberly Huseman.