Nursing students marked the official start of their professional healthcare journeys in a special ceremony on campus recently, receiving their purple coats before family members, faculty and peers.
The celebration of scholastic excellence comes as the institution builds momentum across programs, highlighted by the nursing program’s recent recognition in the Research.com 2027 Best Nursing Degree Programs Ranking in New Mexico in August. The ranking follows an evaluation by Research.com assessing performance metrics, including student satisfaction and program standards, reflecting the institution’s focus on nursing education.
Faculty members opened the gathering by highlighting the remarkable devotion required to enter the medical field, noting that the ceremony marks an essential milestone toward future clinical excellence plus public service.
Student Nurses Association President Angelina Aguilar, a Level 5 nursing student at WNMU, reflected on the demanding academic journey ahead and encouraging her classmates to stay strong through challenging clinical checkoffs, demanding simulations, and rigorous examinations.
Aguilar reminded nursing peers that self-doubt or imposter syndrome is normal in such a demanding environment; she urged them to never let those temporary feelings convince them they do not belong in the medical field. Aguilar also pointed out how vital mutual support is among student cohorts, noting that nursing is fundamentally a team sport built on mutual dedication and collective encouragement.
“You may be the person holding a patient’s hand during one of the hardest moments in their life,” Aguilar said. “You may be the person who visits when they feel scared, offers comfort when their family cannot be there, or simply shows how much they care when it is needed the most. Being a great nurse is not only about being clinically strong but also being authentically human.”
Mary Gruska, RN, IBLBC, an international board-certified lactation consultant and recipient of the prestigious 2025 New Mexico Nursing Excellence Award in maternity and women’s health nursing, delivered the keynote address. Gruska shared reflections on her non-linear career path, which began with undergraduate studies in anthropology and chemistry before she transitioned into healthcare and specialized maternal support.
Gruska encouraged the incoming nursing cohort to embrace course corrections and stay open to unpredicted professional opportunities, noting that a Bachelor of Science in Nursing provides access to dozens of specialized career paths. Gruska also pointed out the indispensable significance of human empathy in contemporary healthcare, particularly in an era dominated by quick technological shifts and artificial intelligence.
“In this age of AI, you’ve chosen a great career,” Gruska told the students. “I would argue that nursing, with its foundations in caring, compassion and human relationships, is one of those essential careers that remains uniquely and intrinsically human, assuring it can never be truly replicated.”
Gruska concluded her remarks with three pieces of advice: do not fear unexpected course corrections, find a role that sustains lifelong learning, and surround yourself with people who possess your passion.