Conemaugh School of Nursing to Host Signing Day Celebration
March 17, 2022
Five local high school students will be recognized on Monday, March 21, for their commitment to serving others through a career in nursing. Joined by family members and Conemaugh Health System leaders, the five students will sign ceremonial letters of intent to continue their education at Conemaugh School of Nursing enroute to becoming registered nurses.
The students planning to attend include:
- Jenna Case – Ligonier Valley High School
- Isabella Garanich – Westmont Hilltop High School
- Laikyn Hillegas – Conemaugh Township High School
- Ella Leonardis – Windber Area High School
- Charlotte Long – United High School
“Through the pandemic, our community developed an even greater appreciation and admiration of nurses for their courage, dedication, and unwavering commitment to serving others,” said Bonnie Mazurak-Riga, DNP, MBA, RN and Director of Conemaugh School of Nursing and Allied Health Programs. “We celebrate high-performing athletes as they formalize their future athletic plans, and we decided to cast that same spotlight upon the high school students committed to Making Communities Healthier through pursuing a career in nursing.”
The celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m. and occur during the Conemaugh School of Nursing and Allied Health Programs Open House for prospective students in the education building across from Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center (1086 Franklin Street, Johnstown). Media interested in covering this event should RSVP to Kristen Hudak. Parking will be available behind the education building.
Conemaugh School of Nursing offers a two-year curriculum approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Each academic year begins in August and consists of two 16-week semesters and one 8-week semester. Upon graduation, students will have logged 990 clinical hours and earned 25 college credits and 50 nursing credits. The 2021 graduating class recently achieved a 97.67 percent pass rate on the NCLEX exam for state boards, ranking among the highest pass rates in school history with 100 percent of graduates immediately gaining full-time employment as Registered Nurses.
The Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital School of Nursing was founded in 1896 following the establishment of Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital in 1892. The school has long been accredited by the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing and was recently recognized as the fifth best nursing program in the state. The program has graduated more than 4,165 students since its founding and is actively recruiting the next generation of nurses.
To learn more, visit Conemaugh.org/education.