Moraine Park Technical College celebrated the achievements of nearly 50 nursing graduates during its spring pinning ceremony, held at the Fond du Lac Campus.
Student speakers included Sarah Koran representing Beaver Dam, Ally Bentley representing Fond du Lac and Bailey Thompson representing West Bend.
“We didn’t just learn how to insert IVs or read lab results,” Koran said. “We learned how to be there for people in their hardest moments. We learned to listen, not just with a stethoscope, but with our hearts. We learned to bring dignity, compassion and the occasional bad joke into rooms filled with uncertainty. We’ve become nurses, the people who will hold hands at 2 a.m., advocate when no one else will and dance behind the nursing station just to make someone smile.”
Nursing Instructors Amy Hensel, April Herrera amd Julie Lepianka introduced the graduates during the ceremony.
“Today, you are not just receiving a pin—you are answering a noble calling,” Katie Hughes, associate dean of health at Moraine Park, said. “A calling to care for patients—not just their bodies, but their minds and spirits as well. A calling to advocate for their needs, support their families, and truly make a difference. This work will ask you to use your hands, your heart and your mind. As you begin this next chapter, know that you have the support of your instructors and fellow graduates. Congratulations, Class of 2025.”
Each year, Moraine Park welcomes nearly 200 nurses into district communities. The College is known for its high-quality education and consistently above-average pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).
DAISY Award
Emilia Lang was honored as the recipient of the College’s DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. This national award recognizes nursing students who demonstrate exceptional care, compassion and commitment to their patients and communities.
Lang was selected through a blind review process by Moraine Park’s DAISY committee, with nominations submitted by patients, staff, fellow students, faculty or community members. She was nominated twice—once by an instructor and once by a fellow student.
“During our third semester clinical course, Emilia demonstrated the exceptional qualities of a DAISY nurse while caring for a middle-aged patient with complex health conditions,” Lang’s instructor said in her nomination. “Emilia was assigned to this patient during a pivotal and emotionally challenging time—he and his wife made the courageous decision to transition to hospice care during her shift. Emilia approached the situation with maturity, compassion and professionalism well beyond her years. She provided care with remarkable sensitivity, offering the patient and his wife a supportive and nonjudgmental environment as they processed this life-altering decision. Throughout the shift, she displayed a calm presence and offered empathetic communication, which was deeply appreciated by the family.”
Lang, who serves as President of the Student Nursing Association Club on the West Bend Campus, also led several volunteer initiatives, including a campus blood drive and flower donations to Cedar Community and a domestic violence shelter for women.
More photos to come! Stay tuned.
Congratulations to our graduates!
Beaver Dam
Sierra Moskow, Nicole Kucharski, Bryanna Tillema, Sarah Koran, Abby Kielmann, Logan Kaiser, Haley Binder, Sydnee Perkins, Emily Monfre
Fond du Lac
Alycia Bentley, Ashley Fox, Payton Sorenson, Kristina Hahn, Cruz Ramos, Tiffani Griffin, Brianna Benike, Claire Guell, Dawn Carey Bertram, Brianna Scannell, Ashley Strong, Elizabeth Nation, Trevor Ruark, Christina Rothering
West Bend
Rebecca Miller, Amber Lanting, Rachel Anderson, Bailey Thompson, Courtney Mathis, Amanda Raynor, Amber Brandt, Emilia Lang, Isabel Gross, Kristine Meyer, Maddison Stachura, Sara Reinders, Sara Dzierzewski, Kayla Jeffords, Emerly Gould, Hailey Heaton, Meredith Janssen, Lori Groen, Braden Flint, Isabella Caro-Rios Wilson, Brady Jacobs