College of the Ozarks hosts 18th Annual White Coat Ceremony

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. — The Armstrong McDonald School of Nursing (AMSON) at College of the Ozarks held its 18^th annual White Coat Ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Sixteen members of the class of 2027 were coated.

Becca Hamon, associate professor of nursing and nursing program director, began the ceremony by welcoming students, parents, and administrators. The event was held in the Royal Oak Forum at The Keeter Center. The junior students received a white New Testament Bible and a white rose along with their white coats. Linda Brennan from the Gideons International Auxiliary presented the students with their Bibles to use in their practice of healing.

This year’s speaker was Andrea deVall, BSN, RN, CHPN.  Andrea has worked as an oncology RN for the past 5 years and currently works at Cox Branson Cancer Center as an infusion nurse. She graduated from the AMSON program in 2017 and shared about what it means to put on the white coat. She shared how she used this opportunity to pursue learning while fulfilling her call to ministry as a nurse.

“The purpose of the White Coat Ceremony is to continue a special tradition for students preparing to enter the hospital arena of patient care,” Hamon said. “It is an exciting next step, which also brings with it a solemn responsibility. The white coat, in nursing and other medical professions, symbolizes clinical service and excellence in care.”

Each student was coated by a senior nursing major, members of the class of 2026. After the students were coated, they were led in the recitation of the Nightingale Pledge. The seniors then prayed a blessing over the junior nursing students.

Many guests, including friends and family members come to honor these junior nursing students.

“The White Coat Ceremony is a rite of passage, but it’s also a time of blessing and recognition for the achievements we have made,” said junior nursing major Breanna Smith. “Nursing is a hard major, so this is a chance to acknowledge that we have made it this far and to celebrate that. I appreciate the time to pray together and get to have family come. It’s a special occasion.”

The following are the junior nursing majors who received their white coats at the 18^th annual White Coat Ceremony:

• Aiyana Boyd from Branson, Missouri
• Adalle Clouser from Ozark, Missouri
• Chloe Cornelison from Dadeville, Missouri
• Jayla Gettys from Waynesville, Missouri
• Grace Hancock from Springfield, Missouri
• Anna Hoffman from Monett, Missouri
• Anna Howe from Ozark, Missouri
• Olivia Kazarinoff from Meridian, Idaho
• Sydney Keeter from Mayflower, Arkansas
• Kalya Millsap from Bern, Kansas
• Abigail Mugabi from Uganda
• Mia Pflederer from Hazelwood, Illinois
• Amy Rhodes from Harrison, Missouri
• Breanna Smith from Canada
• Lydia Stenberg from Walnut Shade, Missouri
• Jadyn Stratton from Branson, Missouri

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation have collaborated to provide support and technical assistance to 410 schools of nursing in 50 states to offer ceremonies designed to inspire a commitment to provide compassionate, patient-centered care among students entering the nursing profession. More information can be found on their website https://www.gold-foundation.org/

For additional information, contact Public Relations Director Valorie Coleman at (417) 690-2212.

About College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks is a private, Christian, liberal arts college, located in Point Lookout, Missouri, on a 1,000-acre campus. Christian values, hard work, and fiscal responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The College earns numerous accolades yearly, including No. 2 Best Performers on Social Mobility-Regional Colleges in the Midwest and No. 4 Best Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for 2024-2025 and No. 3 Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly, 2024. To achieve its vision, the College pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, a laboratory school that completes the K-college model.

The Keeter Center — the College’s award-winning lodge, restaurant, and conference facility — earns awards consistently, including the TripAdvisor Best of the Best Award 2024 for dining, Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award 2025 for lodging, and the Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 from ConventionSouth magazine for meeting and event spaces. The Keeter Center features historic lodging, fine dining, and meeting rooms. With more than 350 student workers, it is the largest workstation on campus.