News

New Nurses Take the Pledge in Traditional Candle Lighting Ceremony

Published: May 30, 2012

Current and future caregivers from QCC’s nursing program lit their candles and devoted themselves to the welfare of their patients during Queensborough Community College’s traditional candle lighting ceremony.

The ceremony on May 30 marked the graduation of more than 70 nursing students in the Class of 2012. Twenty-five percent of the graduates are men, the largest class of men in the history of QCC’s nursing program.

"We are moving away from what nursing was to what nursing will become,” said graduate Simon Ulabov, who plans to continue his studies at Lehman College. “It will be more oriented toward medical practice and stay true to the fundamental values of caring, modesty, humility, and putting the patient first.”

Simon’s father, Leon Ulabov ‘91, also studied nursing at Queensborough and works at Nassau University Medical Center.

View more photos here.

Another member of Queensborough’s nursing alumni, Joyce Monteleone ‘74, joined the ceremony as a special guest and initiated the candle lighting portion of the event.

After earning her AAS degree, Ms. Monteleone served as a charge nurse in the emergency room at Jamaica Hospital for eight years, attended St. Joseph’s College, and worked for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York for 30 years. In retirement, she continues to work per-diem in the VNSNY Choice program.

“Queensborough gave me confidence and knowledge – a solid foundation for a successful nursing career,” said Ms. Monteleone, a native of Ozone Park in Queens. “Queensborough gave me the opportunity to fulfill a life’s dream.”

The invocation for the program was delivered by Professor Alexandra Tarasko, with opening remarks by Queensborough Interim President Diane B. Call.