Spring 2026 Nurses Pinning Awards More Than 70 Nurses Pins

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Butler’s largest ever graduating Nursing class earned their pins on Thursday, May 14 during the spring Nurses Pinning ceremony. Held in the Power Plant gymnasium on the El Dorado campus, nursing graduates gathered for the final time before commencement with their peers, instructors and support systems.

Janet Schueller, associate dean of health, education and public services, recognized the graduates and the effort, determination and pure grit they each demonstrated. “We hope you will be inspired to blaze your own path in your nursing career.”  

Schueller read words of wisdom from nursing faculty to the graduates about their career and personal lives, with emphasis on caring for both their patients and themselves.

President Dr. Tamara Daniel commended students for proving their abilities and dedication. “Every pin placed tonight tells a story. A story of courage, compassion and commitment.” She recognized the heart and expertise the students were gifted by their instructors.

Dr. Marc Malone, executive vice president of academic affairs, expressed a personal story to relate his family’s experience with nurses to the graduates. “The nursing pin itself represents something bigger. It symbolizes compassion, responsibility, trust and the willingness to care for people at their most vulnerable moments. That is a remarkable calling.”

Class President Stephanie Willard of Wichita addressed her peers, including the memorable moments they shared in class and clinical assignments. Willard compared the personal sacrifices students made while in nursing school to those they will make when situated in their fields.

“Many of us continued through incredible hardships, whether that was welcoming new life into the world...enduring natural disasters and navigating changes in family dynamics or grieving a loss of a loved one,” Willard expressed.  

Five students completed their Butler associate degree and The University of Kansas (KU) Bachelor of Nursing degrees simultaneously. These students took a minimum of six online credits from KU alongside their Butler courses in this special partnership. KU graduates are denoted in the full graduate list below.

Nursing graduate Kayla Trotter of El Dorado and Hayley McVay, assistant professor, received the Daisy Award. This award is given each semester to recognize students and faculty who demonstrate excellence in nursing. Student and faculty nominees are denoted below.

Kayla Trotter and Logan Thomas-Davis of Wichita both received honorable mentions for their active involvement and contributions to the Butler Student Nursing Association (BSNA). Elected leaders of BSNA are denoted below. Jayla Smith received an outstanding service award for the 2024-2025 year secretarial duties.

To watch the full pinning ceremony video, download the BCTV+ app or view on butlercc.edu/BCTVplus.

Below is the list of nursing graduates with their distinctions, arranged by hometown. The faculty Daisy nominees are below the full graduate list.

Andover

Lianne Azar

Arkansas City

Kaitlyn Miller

Augusta

Morgan Curry

Shawnacy Warren, KU BSN graduate, Daisy Award Nominee

Belle Plaine

Dene Hastings

Derby

Louisa Lever

Princess Lugo

El Dorado

Julie Artz

Madelyn Muhlig

Tyler Schnitzler

Kayla Trotter, BSNA Committee Member, Daisy Award Winner

Garden Plain

Clayton Chamberland

Goddard

Kaitlyn Erwin

Haysville

Jennifer Purkey

Kechi

Antriana Means

Leon

Kaylene Shepard

Mount Hope

Katelyn Regan

Mulvane

Gabriella Bauerle, KU BSN graduate

Emily Bay

Kaitlyn Foltz

Madison Julius

Newton

Nathan Stewart

Park City

Ashley Simpson, BSNA Treasurer, First Year Class President, Daisy Award Nominee

Rock

Julie Fleming

Rosalia

Matthew Adams, BSNA Membership Chair

Rose Hill

Lauren Burton

Heather Green

Wichita

Tiara Adkins

Maria Aguilera

Alexander Anderson

Noemi Arzola

Sydni Bejaran

Kiera Brown

Jade Coulter

Justin Elad

Chelsea Elmore

Dalia Esparza

Rae Flowers

Jacob Gantt, Class Vice President, KU BSN graduate, BSNA Vice President

Catherine Harvey

Brynna Hermann

Sarah Hess, KU BSN graduate

Raquel Jimenez

Tina Johnson

Edna Jones-Johnson

Wilson Kengere

Doreen Lema

Valeria Luna, KU BSN graduate 

Kendra Martinez-Carillo, KU BSN graduate 

Chelsea Mellano 

Tennielle Montgomery, BSNA Secretary 

Timothy Mulinge 

Kaitlyn Nelson 

Isaiah Oindi 

Ivy Okaru 

Martha Ortiz-Aldaba 

Ivonne Porras 

Christal Porter 

Francisco Ramirez Camacho 

Trista Roetto 

Jessica Schiefelbein 

Michelle Simmons 

Kendra Sine 

Jayla Smith, 2024-25 BSNA Treasurer, Daisy Award Nominee 

Chris Stansbury, BSNA President 

Faith Teegardin 

Ralsten Tersol 

Logan Thomas-Davis, BSNA Committee Member 

MaeDae Van Walleghen 

Stephanie Willard, Class President 

McKenzie Williams

Winfield

Sydney Mackerley

Drew Propps

Atlanta, Georgia

Glory Mayala

 

Faculty Daisy Award Nominees

Lea Atkinson

Joshua Hardy

Hayley McVay, Winner

Katelyn Sherman-Voge

Mitchell Taylor

Selena Walker