网曝吃瓜

Accelerated nursing graduate Lori Price received 网曝吃瓜-Meridian鈥檚 2015 Student Excellence Award at the campus鈥� May 11 commencement ceremony in Boise.

鈥淚 was so excited. What an honor. It鈥檚 so cool to represent 网曝吃瓜 a second time,鈥� she said, clutching her certificate and honorary plaque.

Price, who received her bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing, is a 1981 graduate of 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 dental hygiene program. She鈥檒l put both degrees to good use in early June when she travels to Nicaragua as part of a triage team providing medical and dental care to young girls rescued from human trafficking.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an issue very tender to my heart,鈥� she said.

Price was one of eight finalists for the 2015 Student Excellence Award. The other honorees are Lynn Bohecker, counseling; Jeanie Chapin, communication sciences and disorders; Kate Christiaens, audiology; Jacqueline Fitch, physician assistant studies; Lindsey Hunt, pharmacy; Jennifer Montzka, speech language pathology; and Kathryn Norton, medical laboratory science.

Patrick Gray, a 2004 graduate of 网曝吃瓜-Meridian鈥檚 accelerated nursing program, was commencement speaker. An advocate for the disabled community, Gray is co-creator of I鈥檒l Push You: A 500-Mile Journey Between Two Best Friends, which chronicles his 2014 pilgrimage along the rugged Camino de Santiago trail in northern Spain with childhood friend Justin Skeesuck.

Gray pushed Skeesuck鈥攗nable to walk because of an autoimmune disease鈥攊n a wheelchair. Gray told the new graduates the pilgrimage has served as a metaphor for life鈥檚 most important lessons鈥攖hat what might seem impossible at first is indeed possible and the best leaders are those who embrace their vulnerabilities.

鈥淩egardless of your position, you have the power to impact those you come in contact with,鈥� he told the new health professions graduates.

网曝吃瓜 President Arthur Vailas told students their newly minted degrees represent an 鈥渋mportant benchmark in their lifelong journey. Enjoy this moment,鈥� he said.

网曝吃瓜-Meridian conferred 257 degrees, most in the health professions and health sciences. Forty-seven Renaissance High School students received Associate of Arts degrees in general studies through a partnership with 网曝吃瓜 and the West Ada School District.

Here鈥檚 the breakdown of graduate, professional and undergraduate degrees: two Doctor of Philosophy (Counselor Education and Counseling); eight Doctor of Audiology; 34 Doctor of Pharmacy; five Master of Counseling; 10 Master of Physical Education/Athletic Administration; 29 Master of Physician Assistant Studies; four Master of Public Health; 23 Master of Science (Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing and Speech Language Pathology); four Master of Education (School Psychology, Secondary Education); 73 Bachelor of Science (Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Educational Interpreting, Psychology, Sign Language Interpreting); 18 Associate of Science (Sign Language Studies, Nursing, Paramedic Science, and Geomatics) and 47 Associate of Arts (General Studies).