Inova Mount Vernon Hospital celebrated the academic achievements of team members on Monday, Aug. 3, who were unable to ‘walk’ this year due to COVID-19. Twenty-six graduates earning various degrees from Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s were honored. Hospital staff members watched the event via zoom and cheered on their colleagues as each graduate’s name was individually recognized.
Linda Owusu, left, joins Ruth Sajous, Jennifer Lybarger, and Amanda Whetzel receiving advanced nursing degrees this year and celebrated their achievements at a hospital ceremony in their honor
Roberta Tinch, MHA, FACHE, Hospital President and Administrator of Inova Musculoskeletal said, "I am so proud of our Inova Mount Vernon team members, who persevered and achieved advanced degrees within their specific field despite this unprecedented time. I wanted to honor their accomplishments, especially since many were unable to celebrate with their schools and classmates. Pursuing higher learning and personal goals while balancing work and family life is no small feat. It demonstrates the dedication and talented teams of nurses, technicians, therapists, and staff we are privileged to have here at Inova Mount Vernon. This celebration reflects Inova’s commitment to supporting all team member’s desire to continuously grow and improve."
As per Mount Vernon Gazette, "The hospital in Mount Vernon does not have a nursing school on its own, so each one of the graduates completed their schooling at various locations, and applied to the hospital with a diploma in hand. Because these universities were unable to host graduation, hospital leadership decided to host a ceremony for employees who graduated this year allowing them to ‘walk’ in their cap and gown."