For Immediate Release
August 21, 2014

Suffolk Nursing, NY State's Largest Program, Prepares For Celebration.

Honoring nurses who served in the military, the gathering of oral histories and displays of retrospective memorabilia are all part of Suffolk County Community College’s School of Nursing’s plans for a celebration beginning this fall and culminating with the school’s 50^th pinning ceremony next May.

The Suffolk County Community College School of Nursing boasts more than 7,100 alumni, is the largest program in New York State and the sixth largest in the nation.

The School of Nursing is asking all alumni to contact the College to become part of a celebration leading up to the 50^th pinning ceremony on May 15, 2015. All those volunteering to help organize the event will be designated alumni ambassadors and deputized to help spread the word about the anniversary and its significance.

“We are very proud to graduate nursing professionals who have worked in our communities for a half century,” said College President Dr. Shaun L. McKay. “One of our College’s highly competitive programs and the largest in the state, our nursing program’s excellence is directly attributable to our faculty, staff, and students who are committed to nursing education. We are also very proud that a majority of our nursing graduates remain right here in our region where they serve with pride and distinction.”

“Our nursing student body is diverse and highly motivated,” said College Associate Dean, School of Nursing Dr. Cheryl Shaffer, “they graduate as nursing leaders committed to helping individuals, families and communities.”

“The 50^th pinning ceremony and events leading up to next May’s event will provide an excellent opportunity for the thousands of alumni who graduated from our School of Nursing to reconnect with their friends, former professors and college community,” said Dr. Sylvia A. Diaz, Interim Executive Director of the Suffolk Community College Foundation.
 
Partnerships with top hospitals, long-term care and community agencies in Suffolk County provide students with outstanding clinical experiences.  Clinical sites include St. Charles Hospital and Rehabilitation Center and John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson; Peconic Bay Medical Center, Riverhead; Stony Brook University Hospital; Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, West Islip; Southside Hospital-North Shore LIJ, Bay Shore; St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center, Smithtown; Huntington Hospital-North Shore LIJ, Huntington; Eastern Long Island Hospital, Greenport; and the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in West Brentwood.

Alumni who wish to volunteer or are seeking additional information can contact the Office of Alumni Relations by email at: alumni@sunysuffolk.edu  or call (631) 451-4941.

The School of Nursing has also established an alumni Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/NursingAlumniSuffolkCCC