Bachelor of Science in Nursing Graduates
Aimee Santos
"I would like to thank all of my friends, family, and the faculty at Orvis for supporting me throughout nursing school. I truly could not have completed this journey without the endless support from my friends and family. This has been the hardest yet most rewarding 16 months of my life, and I can’t wait to give back to the community that I love. I am very excited to start my nursing career at Carson Tahoe Hospital where I will be working on the Medical-Oncology floor."
Amanda Alvarez
"After long nights of studying, transitioning through clinical during a pandemic, and the constant stress of nursing school, I can finally say I am done with this chapter! I would like to thank my family, friends, and friends who have become family throughout my time in Reno. Thank you, Mom for being my hero and showing me the qualities that reflect a good nurse. From you, I have learned to care for patients with not only critical thinking, but compassion. You have all helped me reach my goals of where I am today and where I am going to be. A huge appreciation to my faculty at Orvis who have helped me to grow personally and professionally. Utilizing your wisdom, I can go forth and be the best nurse possible!
Lastly, I hope to move back to California upon passing my NCLEX and take a position as an RN on a Medical-Surgical unit in the Bay Area. I will still pursue my dream of one day becoming a labor and delivery nurse! I am lucky for every opportunity I have been given here at the University and School of Nursing. I cannot express enough gratitude."
Annika Barrett
"To my family and friends, I could not have endured this journey without each and every one of you by my side. From the never-ending study sessions, the mental breakdowns, a global pandemic and the many laughs and memories made along the way, I am so grateful to have such amazing people in my life. Each and every one of you believed in me when I could not believe in myself. I am so thankful for the guidance, support and wisdom you all have shared with me throughout this journey. I would not be where I am today without the endless love, encouragement, and support from you all. To my Orvis family, I am so thankful we have gotten to experience the challenges and rewards together, on this journey to become the most wonderful nurses. I have learned something special from each of you and am so incredibly proud of you all."
Avery Mahdavi
"Thank you to my biggest supporters and the ones who have been there for me through it all, my mom & dad. Because of you my greatest dreams are coming true. You have pushed me every day to be the best version of myself and make a difference in the world... and look where we are now! I am grateful for my time at OSN and for all of the memories and friends I have made. Following graduation, I will be starting my nursing career at Saint Mary’s in the Emergency Department. I look forward to starting this journey and I appreciate everyone who has supported me along the way."
Cassandra Leonard
“If the tree can’t do it, the branches will.” For you, grandma. Thank you, mom, for showing me that courage and dedication can lead you on to a new path. Thank you, dad, for teaching me that mountains are the best medicine for a weary heart. Weston, thank you for being my person and showing me unconditional love and support. Thank you, Tony, for the friendship you poured into my life and helping me realize my greater potential. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. H, for giving me a home to come to, shoulders to cry on, and encouragement in the hardest moments of my life. Thank you, Albany, for being the best girl and showing me the love of a divine being. Thank you to every single person who stepped into my life and made it a better place. A piece of this degree is yours. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the light that you have given to guide me down this path. I truly love each and every one of you."
Dawn Dabler
“I am so thankful for my time at Orvis. I have so many great memories and amazing friends from this experience. Thank you to all the wonderful professors, my family, and friends who have supported me on this journey!”
Erika Manasewitsch
"I would like to thank my family and all my wonderful friends who have supported me throughout nursing school. I am thrilled to be graduating from Orvis School of Nursing and excited for my future nursing career! This journey has been a long path filled with challenges, personal growth, and many rewarding experiences.
My time in Northern Nevada has been enjoyable, and my experience at UNR was fulfilling. The UNR Orvis school of Nursing has provided me with a strong foundation as I enter my nursing career. I am grateful to all my professors, faculty, administrators, and health care professionals who have guided me throughout this journey.
2020 has been a trying year, but we made it through! Although I wish we could have celebrated together in person, I would like to congratulate my fellow nursing cohort and many great friends I made in nursing school on our graduation!"
Fiona Zeier
“I would like thank both of my parents for their overwhelming support and encouragement throughout this journey. I would also like to thank the wonderful Orvis faculty as they helped us navigate nursing school through covid and always believed in us. I have met amazing people through this program and cannot wait to start my journey as nurse here in Reno.”
Francesca Lei Bulaong
“I am so thankful for all the friendships I've made in nursing school. I'm thankful for all the love and support I've received from family and friends this past year. I'm also thankful for all my coworkers that supported me and helped me when I needed it. I wouldn't have been able to get through this without any of you. God bless.”
Frances Esquivel
"It's been a very stressful but rewarding 16 months and we finally made it! Finishing nursing school during a whole pandemic was challenging, but I was lucky enough to have been surrounded by amazing people who made it all worth it. I just want to thank my family, who supported me throughout this whole journey, and my friends for being there for me through all the tears (happy and sad) - lots of them. Thank you also to the faculty for prioritizing our success in this program especially during these times. I'm scared but excited to see what the future holds!"
Franchesca Faith Garcia
First, I’d like to thank God for helping me get through this program and blessing me to graduate alongside an amazing cohort. Special thank you to my parents for their never-ending love and support. Thank you to my brothers and sisters for always encouraging me to keep going whenever I thought about giving up, especially to my sister Joy for always nagging me to go study and stop being so negative. To my nieces and nephews, thank you for believing in me. And to my friends for being my self-care from school when I needed it the most. I wouldn’t have made it this far without you all! I love you guys! And shout out to my amazing friends who became family during our journey here at Orvis. Wouldn’t have made it without our all-nighters at the KC, late-night facetime calls, and food adventures. And a special thank you to all our amazing professors and faculty for caring so much about us and our success as future nurses, especially when everything seemed impossible when all classes went online. You guys are amazing! HERE’S TO US! WE FINALLY MADE IT! (Kuya Jeson, we can go to Hawaii now! Haha!)
Gautami (Tami) Yerabati
"I would like to thank my family for their continuous love and support, and my peers for celebrating successes and failures alongside me. I enjoyed getting to know each and every member of this cohort. I also want to thank my boyfriend for being my biggest fan and always believing in me. To the faculty at Orvis, thank you for teaching me what it means to be a nurse and providing me this opportunity for tremendous growth. I would also like to give a special shout out to Professor Demitropoulos for being such an incredible mentor for me throughout this journey! I have accepted an offer on a Med-Surge Unit at Northern Nevada Medical Center, and plan to further my education by attending graduate school and specializing in Women’s and Children’s Health. "
Hailey Anter
"I wanted to say a huge thank you to my parents and family for their support during this entire journey and to Dylan for being my rock throughout everything. I plan on moving to South Carolina in the beginning of January to pursue a career in critical care nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina."
Haley Carroll
“Thank you to all of my family and friends for being so helpful through this journey. A special thank you to Nathan for putting up with me being stressed out and always keeping me motivated. Thank you, mom and dad, for always supporting me and encouraging me to follow my dreams. Thank you to all of my amazing instructors for pushing me to do my best and believing in me. Thank you to all of the great friends I met in Orvis for all of the laughs, tears, and of course the sushi after patho tests. I cannot wait to start my career and continue working towards my goal of being a pediatric oncology nurse.”
Jarod Avila
“*Que Liaison voice* “Hey everyone! I just have an announcement to make on behalf of graduation:” My time at the Orvis School of Nursing has given me the unique opportunity to exemplify service, instill new relationships and share in the experience of what it means to be a nurse that takes on one of the most important roles in society. On the mark of this milestone, I want to express my deep appreciation for my faith and to my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins as well as friends, and the Orvis School of Nursing faculty. After graduation, I plan on spending time with my family and studying for the NCLEX. And a last shoutout to the OSNA executive board for the endless laughs. Remember, everyone, everything is “pulse-able”, We did it!”
Jordan Jones
"I would like to give the biggest thank you to my mom and dad for supporting me throughout this entire journey. I love you both so much and I appreciate your love and support more than anything. I also want to thank all of my friends and family for being there for me always. I plan to start my nursing career here in Reno, Nevada, and I could not be more excited. To my new Orvis family, I am so grateful to have gotten to share this experience with you all. I am so proud of all of us – WE DID IT CLASS OF 2020!"
Justin Rex Bautista
“I would like to thank my mom and dad, my grandma, my brothers Josh and Jake, and my girlfriend Sarah! I wouldn’t have made it without you all, I love you! I look forward to further growth, and I'll keep working hard to be the best nurse that I can be.”
Kathleen Shaner
“Thank you to the beautiful souls and smiles that have guided me along my journey and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. A special thank you to Roberto, Vanessa, Faith, and Camile for saving me during nursing school and also saving me when we went rafting in Tahoe City! I plan to make more lasting memories while working at the VA Hospital here in Reno, Nevada. While we are facing uncertain times, let us be certain of the tremendous impact we will make in our future as the nurses of tomorrow. In order to remind us all of the power we hold, please allow me to share a quote with you by Oskar Schindler. "Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.” Congratulations Class of 2020! May we continue to accomplish anything we set our mind to.”
Kaylee Westlake
"I want to thank my sister, brother-in-law, boyfriend, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and most importantly my parents. I could not have made it through nursing school without their support, love, and encouragement, I am forever grateful and can’t thank them enough. I also want to thank the faculty at Orvis as well as the friends that I have made throughout nursing school. I hope to start my career as a cardiac intensive care unit nurse or a cardiac telemetry nurse at a local hospital in Reno. Congratulations Orvis Class of 2020!!"
Krystal Subillaga
"Thank you to my family and friends for the overwhelming love and support throughout this journey, and for always believing in me and my dreams."
Lacie Reichmann
"It’s an honor to be graduating in 2020 during a global pandemic. I want to say thank you to my parents, my brother, and to the Nevada Women’s rugby team. Throughout my time with the University of Nevada, Reno I have had the privilege to make lifelong friends through rugby and nursing school. Their support has helped me in so many ways that I cannot thank everyone enough. To the Fall graduating class of 2020, we did it! I cannot wait to see where my fellow colleges start their careers at and to be able to see them grow within their professions. Personally, I plan on continuing my education in California with hopes of working at UC Davis Medical Center. I am excited to see what the future holds. If I have learned anything during this year, it is that nothing is as what it seems to be. Thank you to the faculty of Orvis who have put in so much effort to help us grow and be confident new nurses during times of mixed online learning and in-person clinical."
Lynn Nguyen
"You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world." -Tom Brokaw
Monika Moe
“To my Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Derek, best pals, and family: Thank you for all of your love and support throughout these last 4.5 years! Thank you for believing in me, encouraging me, and helping me through the occasional nursing school breakdown. I would not be where I am or who I am without you all. You are my motivation, my “why”, and my biggest blessings.
To our OSN faculty, thank you for your continued dedication to your students and the nursing profession. Thank you for not giving up on us during such an unprecedented time. I am grateful for your kindness, compassion, and sincere encouragement. I believe that we will all be better nurses because of the example you’ve set on how to be resilient and persevere during such a trying time for healthcare workers.
Now that this crazy journey has come to an end, I am excited to begin my nursing career in the neuroscience unit at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, ID. During this holiday season, I plan to spend some much-needed time with my family, friends, and dog, Corkie.
Thank you, Orvis, for the most rewarding, challenging, and emotional time of my life. You’ll always have a special place in my heart!”
Naomi Rodriguez
"Dear family and friends, I would like to thank you for the love and support you have provided me. This graduation wouldn’t have been possible without you. I am ever grateful to you all."
Natalie Seils, Cum Laude
“Thank you so much to my friends and family for supporting me throughout this crazy journey. To my mom, dad, brother and boyfriend: thank you for always listening to me ramble about my crazy clinical days and other gross nursing stuff (that I think is awesome). I have met the most amazing friends throughout nursing school, and I am so excited to see where life takes all of us. As far as future aspirations go, I hope to one day work in critical care, and go back to school to obtain my Master's degree. Other than that my plan is to go where life takes me. :) Thank you again to everyone in my life, and I hope to never see any of you at work!”
Nicole LaPorte
“I want to thank my friends, family, and all of my mentors for their continued love and support! We did it!"
Nicole Perlite
“Congratulations to my fellow 2020 Orvis graduates. I am beyond grateful for this experience and for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. I could not have completed this without each and every one of you. I am excited to pursue my nursing career in Reno and I am looking forward to this next journey. Congratulations class of 2020 we made it!”
Noel Sievers
“Thank you to my family, friends, fellow classmates, and OSN faculty for their endless love, support, and wisdom during my nursing school experience. There aren't words to describe how grateful I am to have made it to this day. I am so excited to start my dream career, and I am so proud of my nursing cohort for making it through this hard year together.”
Oksana White
"This has been such a long road and I am so grateful for all of those who have played a part in supporting me and pushing me through! I'd like to mention the following people: my grandmother who inspired me to chase this dream; my grandfather for showing me how to work through the challenges and never giving up; my mom for carrying me through from day one; my dad and stepmom for teaching me how to believe in myself and listening to the countless stories; my grandma and grandpa for showing me what strength is; my brothers for toughening me up to face my challenges; my aunts and uncles who have cheered me on. There are so many more people who have shown me support and I thank every single one of them!"
Reed Decena
"You try you fail, you try you fail. But you really fail the moment you stop trying."
Robert Nyberg
“Words cannot describe how thankful I am for my family and friends for the continued love and support throughout my journey of becoming a Registered Nurse! To my nursing peers, WE DID IT, even through a pandemic! To the Orvis School of Nursing staff and professors, thank you for your knowledge, guidance, and encouragement. My heart is filled with gratitude as this chapter closes and another one opens. My immediate plans consist of studying for the NCLEX-RN and then I hope to begin my nursing career as a Telemetry RN and progress into Critical Care. I promise to be the best nurse I can be delivering high-quality care with compassion. Can I nap now?”
Savannah Johnson
"I cannot express how thankful I am to be in the position I’m in.
I give ALL GLORY TO GOD
I give all THANKS to my family and friends that lifted my head when I felt like I didn’t have the strength to do it on my own.
To every black girl with kinky, coily hair, to every black woman told that this career was not for you, to every Breonna Taylor that died with aspirations unfulfilled, I did this for you. I promise to never settle for the narrative they told us to believe. I vow to carry your stories with me. I commit my life to carrying out God’s work through every form of care that He blesses my hands to do.
I will continue to do this for you. For us. When man said “No”, God said “Yes”
I am Savannah Cheyenne Johnson, a black woman, Oakland-bred, BSN RN."
Sean Lacsamana
"I would like to thank my family (Mom, Dad, Steffen and Marley) for supporting me throughout my college experience. Thank you to my professors who have built my nursing foundations and have instilled their positive values into my practice. Lastly, I am very grateful for the friendships I have made during nursing school. Every person that I have met in my cohort has been so genuine and I wish everyone the best as we start our careers.
I will be starting my nursing journey at Carson Tahoe Regional Hospital as a Telemetry RN!”
Senna Allen
“It is crazy how quick 16 months can fly by! Looking back to August 2019 it seemed this day was never going to come. I am so thankful for the support from my family, especially my husband and puppy! It was truly an amazing journey and I am so glad I got to do it with this cohort. Thank you to all the faculty who supported me throughout my time at Orvis, you all rock! I plan to stay in Reno and work on an oncology unit in town. I cannot wait to see what the future holds!”
Shelby Pauletto, Cum Laude
"Here’s to my number one fan, Dorothy (Dotty) Marie Branch. This one’s for you, Grandma.
AND... a big THANK YOU to my beautiful mother, Patty Pauletto, for being by my side each and every day; to my emotional support team of sisters, Jessica, Alley, and Gianna; to Aunt Pam, Kimmy, AC, and UJ for always being there to listen and encourage me; to Erika, Sean, Robby, and Lynn for bringing joy back into nursing school; to the teachers and mentors who've inspired me in my nursing journey; and to all the loved ones who've come into my life in the last year and a half. Thank you."
Taelour Dufur
“I would like to dedicate my graduation to the two most important people in my life, without whom I would be nothing. Mom and Dad, thank you for your unwavering love and support throughout my collegiate years, and in life. I would not be where I am today without your guidance, and for that I am forever grateful. To the rest of my family and friends, thank you for encouraging and supporting me throughout my nursing school experience. I love and appreciate you all more than you know!
My future aspirations are to begin my nursing career here in my hometown of Reno, Nevada, as I work towards my dream of becoming a Labor and Delivery Nurse.
Last but certainly not least-congratulations to my fellow classmates and the graduating class of 2020! What a wild ride it has been. Cheers… we did it!”
Taylor Lawson
"I would like to thank my family, friends, boyfriend and coaches for not only supporting me, but sticking by me when times got rough. Nursing school was no easy task, but with their encouragement, motivation and love, I knew I could overcome even this. Additionally, I can not thank my professors and the Orvis faculty enough for their continuous mentorship, leadership, and compassion. Their efforts will forever hold a special place throughout my journey as a nurse. Furthermore, I am excited to announce that I will be continuing my career as a registered nurse in the OB department at Carson Tahoe Hospital. I will be sure to continue representing the Orvis name in only a positive light because these people and school will forever be my home. Taytay40 out."
Vanessa Saldana Perez
"Thank you to my mother, father, and classmates for supporting me through this crazy nursing journey!'
Victor Valenzuela
"I would like to thank my parents for their unwavering support since the start of my undergraduate education, without them I would not have had this opportunity. They have dedicated their lives to providing for my brothers and I so that we may have the tools necessary to achieve success and pursue our dreams, I am truly grateful for the sacrifices that they have made. I would also like to thank my girlfriend, Cassidy, who has helped to be my rock throughout my time away from home. I also extend my appreciation to the faculty who have helped to shape me into a competent nurse and a leader.
I congratulate my fellow graduates on a once-in-a-lifetime achievement which has been made exponentially more difficult as a result of the turbulent times in which we live. However, I believe that it is this unique experience that has made us strong and better equipped to lead a new generation of nurses. I am excited about the future as I look towards graduate school and my future role as a practitioner.
Thank you again to everyone who helped me along the way."
Zachary Elliott
“What a ride these past 4 years have been. I have made so many new friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you to friends, family and the Orvis faculty for the countless amount of support throughout the way”
Additional BSN Graduates
- Alexander Amerine
- Alexander Espinosa
- Ally Roussel, Summa Cum Laude
- Alyse Acquista
- Amy Flores
- Autumn Cameron
- Cameron Popino
- Camile Abigay
- Cassidy Lanza
- Erin Gilchrist
- Flimon Fre
- Francis DelRosario
- Gretchen Stretch
- Jacob Waldron
- Jared Heki
- Johann Montecillo
- Juan Martinez
- Martha Cota-Felix
- Megan Clifton
- Rachel Vacca
- Robert Branda
- Sydney Lysen
