Next generation of health care workers earn their degrees at TCNJ commencement (PHOTOS)

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday,, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Noelle Carpenter, top left, of Florence, (Nursing) gets a selfie with freinds before processing into Lions Stadium.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Noelle Carpenter, of Florence, a conscientious nursing student in her sophomore year, was finally getting real-world experience doing “clinicals” at St. Mary Hospital in Langhorne, Pa. in 2020.

That was when an email came through from her school, The College of New Jersey, saying that they would be closing for the week after spring break due to an outbreak of something referred to as a novel coronavirus.

“So we’d be done for two weeks, but then we were supposed to come back,” she recalls.

The ensuing COVID pandemic, which has now claimed the lives of 1 million people in the United States alone, turned the world upside down and disrupted the routines of college students — none more than those studying and working in the health care profession.

Remote learning became the norm and when clinicals returned, there were fewer. “It (COVID) definitely impacted clinical and learning a lot,” Carpenter said, “But I like that we still persevered.

Carpenter is one of 1,832 undergraduates and 344 post-graduates receiving their degrees during two days of commencement ceremonies at TCNJ this week.

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Carole Kenner - Dean, School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science, delivers remarks.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

“You are survivors of zoomland and the pandemic…. You did not see COVID headlines, you lived them,” TCNJ Dean of School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science Carole Kenner told the students.

“While this is not how we would have wished you to apply your classroom knowledge, you learned that you have the skills to succeed in your chosen career path.”

Carpenter concurred. “It (the pandemic) kind of helped me because it made me advocate for myself even more,” she said, “because when I was going around with the nurses instead of saying, ‘Oh, I’ll just watch,’ I was like ‘Can I give this baby their injection? Can I help you check this mother? Can I do this? Can I do that?’”

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. TCNJ President Kathryn Foster delivers remarks.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TCNJ President Kathryn Foster acknowledged the difficulty the Class of 2022 faced, calling them “my class” because she began her tenure at TCNJ when they were freshmen in 2018.

“We have grown together through a remarkable four-year period in our lives, the life of this college, and the history of the world,” she said. “I am so grateful for your companionship and inspiration.”

Carpenter’s studies and work so far in nursing have revealed to her that the emergency setting is where she can do the most good. “I will be needed no matter what,” she said, “and I want to be there for those people in their worst times and be their light, or be that support for them.”

The fact that she graduated cum laude even under these unprecedented conditions demonstrates that Carpenter isn’t deterred by unforeseen challenges, a quality that will serve her well in the job she has waiting for her working in the emergency department at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.

Carpenter and all of her fellow graduates have overcome some daunting odds to complete their education in nursing, health or exercise science in the midst of a pandemic and make themselves ready to enter the work world.

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Near the end of the ceremony, graduates Guillermo Rosales, center and Dora Amoo-Achampong, right, join their classmates in waving in gratitude to their friends and family in the bleacher.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The mortarboard Carpenter wore to commencement speaks to the courage that is required. It was Star Wars-themed and included a quote from Han Solo in “The Empire Strikes Back” when he dangerously — but successfully — flew his ship right into an asteroid belt to avoid capture. “Never tell me the odds.”

The TCNJ School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science started off the two days of 2022 Commencements by department at TCNJ on Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. The last one is for all students receiving their master’s degrees on Friday, May 20, 5:30–7:30 p.m. EST.

All events are live-streamed and can be seen here.

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday,, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Graduate Noelle Carpenter, of Florence, quotes Han Solo "Never tell me the odds," on her Star Wars-themed mortarboard.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday,, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Graduate Aidan Wilson, (Health & Exercise Science) mugs for a camera after picking up his diploma.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Graduate Jared Lyles, of Chesilhurst, pauses for a hug from his mom, Carla Ortiz, on the way back from picking up his diploma.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday,, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Caitlyn Finnery, Class of 2022, receives applause after delivering Department of Health and Exercise Science Greetings.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Seva Sylvester Gallant, center, (Health and Exercise Science) joins classmates in turning their tassels.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday,, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Graduate Seth Marcelo (Nursing) poses for an official photo after picking up his diploma.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Sharon Ranson (Nursing RN) poses for an official photo after picking up her diploma.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

TCNJ 2022 commencement

Thursday,, May 19, 2022 - The College of New Jersey 2022 Commencement schedule begins with the School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science on Thursday morning, May 19. Commencements continue through Friday evening, May 20, 2022. Graduate Noelle Carpenter, of Florence, turns to show her diploma to family in the bleachers.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Michael Mancuso may be reached at mmancuso@njadvancemedia.com

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