Commencement was a beautiful and meaningful celebration of our newest RCoN graduates. Surrounded by family, friends, faculty, and staff, our students crossed the stage with confidence and officially stepped into the next chapter of their nursing journey. It was inspiring to witness their hard work, resilience, and compassion come to life on such a special day.
The ceremony also gave us the opportunity to recognize this year’s outstanding award winners. These students have demonstrated exceptional leadership, academic excellence, service, and commitment to the values of RCoN. Celebrating their achievements alongside their classmates made the day even more meaningful.
We are grateful for the impact this graduating class has already made and cannot wait to see the difference they will bring to the communities they serve.
DAISY Award for Outstanding Nursing Students:
The DAISY Award honors those who go “above and beyond” and make an extraordinary difference in the experiences of patients and their families.
Join us in congratulating our May 2026 recipient, Kelsey Harrington.
Theresa Chang Award:
The Theresa Chang Award is given to the student who excelled in the clinical setting and providing direct patient care. The recipient of this award is a student who values mentorship, and demonstrates exceptional selflessness, compassion, and excellence in nursing practice.
Join us in congratulating our May 2026 recipient, Lauren Muirhead.
Barbara A. Clemence Award:
The Barbara A. Clemence Award honors a servant leader who exhibits insightfulness, a willingness to be a risk taker, and someone who possesses a team-player mentality.
Join us in congratulating our May 2026 recipient, Cynne Soria.
The William V. Longmoor Values Award:
The William V. Longmoor Values Award honors the student who best exemplifies the mission and vision of both Research College of Nursing and Research Medical Center.
Join us in congratulating our May 2026 recipient, Holly Davis.
Last month, we celebrated an important milestone in RCoN history with the dedication of our new academic facility. This space was created to support how students learn today: connected, collaborative, and rooted in real-world experience. It expands our capacity, strengthens hands-on learning, and supports new programs built for the needs of today’s learners and tomorrow’s workforce.
This milestone brings exciting momentum for our students, our faculty and staff, our partners across HCA Midwest Health, and our Kansas City community. Inside this new building, confidence grows, compassion develops and nursing careers begin.
We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this possible and proud to continue our long tradition of education nurses in Kansas City.
September 4, 2025
Congratulations to the exceptional students in our baccalaureate nursing program who earned a place on the Summer 2025 Honor Roll! These dedicated individuals achieved a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher while maintaining full-time status in a rigorous nursing curriculum.
Your hard work, resilience, and commitment to excellence inspire us all. Well done!
- Rachel Argie
- Ava Ayala
- Carley Baker
- Joseph Camacho
- Ayla Carey
- Adrianna Cusimano
- Paxton Donaldson
- Andrew Dudasko
- Elizabeth Elliott
- Riley Fate
- Emma Feess
- Mahlet Fikru
- Jaden Gragg
- Ryan Harness
- Bailey Hiles
- Johana Infante-Magana
- Summer Johnson
- Alaina Knapp
- Gabriela Lopes
- Michael Lopez
- Brenda McDonald
- Zachary McEwen
- Colin Meyer
- Anna Parry
- Josephine Rinella
- Landon Roseberry
- Rachel Schmanke
- Carolyn Shephard Money
- Faith Singleton
- Millie Talavera
- Grace Tepondjou
- Lillian Turnquist
- Uma Uma
- Jakob Whitson