TESU Celebrates New Nurses at Pinning Ceremony

Accelerated BSN Program Continues to Expand with BAYADA Scholars, Advancing Solutions to Nursing Shortage

The W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing and Health Professions at Thomas Edison State University celebrated 46 prelicensure nursing students from its Spring 2026 cohort of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program with a pinning ceremony at the New Jersey State Museum on Aug. 20.
The ceremony heralded the students’ entrance into the nursing profession after completing the intensive 15-month program, serving as a poignant reminder of the challenges the students faced together, both inside and outside the classroom.

"Our goal is not simply to move students through a program quickly, but to graduate nurses who are practice-ready on day one," said Dawn Alerassool, DNP, RN, assistant dean of undergraduate nursing programs. "The accelerated curriculum is intentionally sequenced so that students develop the clinical judgment, confidence and professional identity that today's complex care environments demand. Our partnership with BAYADA Education strengthens that preparation by connecting students directly with experienced clinicians and the communities they will one day serve."

During the ceremony, Jonathan Jouvert-Leonardo from the standard track and Giovanni Stanfa from the BAYADA Scholars Track received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. Additionally, two educators received the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty. The recipients were Atiya Porter, MSN, RN, of the BAYADA Scholars Track and Erin Torp, MSN, RN, of the standard track. DAISY awards recognize those who demonstrate extraordinary compassion and dedication to patient and family care during clinical rotations. Twelve students were also inducted into the School’s Upsilon Rho Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society.

Students in the program completed a combination of on-site lectures, online coursework at TESU and on-site clinical experiences with community partners Cooper University Health Care, BAYADA Home Health Care, Trenton Emergency Medical Services, Vitality Hospice, Compassus Home Health Care, Woods Services, Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, St. Peter’s University Hospital, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton and Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell. Program completers are now eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) before officially entering the profession.
TESU’s Accelerated BSN Program is known for consistently high NCLEX-RN pass rates and offers three admission cycles and start dates per year. For more information about the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing and Health Professions, visit tesu.edu/nursing.