Mary Wendler, WT Student Nurses Honored in Annual Pinning Ceremony

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Thirty-five graduating West Texas A&M University student nurses and one longtime nurse took part in the WT Department of Nursing’s annual pinning ceremony.

The ceremony, held May 6, recognized Mary Wendler, wife of WT President Walter V. Wendler, who served as a nurse for many years.

“I am honored by this thoughtful recognition,” Mary Wendler said. “It reminded me of my own pinnings and how excited we all were upon the completion of our nursing courses. There was much anticipation of using our skills and compassion to treat those our lives intersected with. I saw this same eagerness and excitement as I heard the testimonies of every WT student. The encouragement of their families, friends and mentors throughout their journey reminded me of my own encouragers in the nursing profession: How important those individuals were to me along the journey.”

Wendler graduated high school as a licensed vocational nurse, then earned her associate’s degree as a registered nurse. She worked as an RN in New York, California and Louisiana.  

“Mrs. Wendler became a nurse just over 50 years ago, and it’s a particularly special treat for us to be able to give her an honorary WT pin as we begin the celebrations of our department’s 50th anniversary,” said Dr. Holly Jeffreys, head of the WT Department of Nursing. “Mrs. Wendler is the first First Lady of WT to be a nurse, and we want her to know how very special she is to us.”

Pinning ceremonies are an opportunity to recognize the students’ hard work and dedication in their clinicals and in classwork, marking the transition from student to nurse, Jeffreys said.

“WT’s pin is one of the most striking, and it’s worn with pride by those who earn it,” Jeffreys said. “By presenting these pins, professional nurses warmly welcome graduates into the profession of nursing, and WT alumni welcome these graduates into the ever-growing family of WT nursing graduates.”

Students take the Nightingale Pledge, named for Florence Nightingale, known as the mother of modern nursing.

May 2022 graduates in the bachelor of science in nursing program who were pinned are (with hometowns):

Established in 1972 and graduating its first students in 1974, WT’s Department of Nursing in its College of Nursing and Health Sciences currently provides about 70 percent of nurses employed throughout the Texas Panhandle.

WT nursing graduates, over the past five years, have averaged a 97 percent score on the National Council Licensure Examination, required by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to test the competency of nursing school graduates in the United States and Canada. Nationally, the average is 85 percent; in Texas, it’s 87 percent.

Nursing Process ranked WT’s online RN-to-BSN program No. 6 in the nation in a recent report. WT’s program is the only one in Texas to make the list.

Among other recent accolades, the online nursing program was ranked No. 7 in Texas and won a coveted Best Graduate Program ranking for 2022 from U.S. News & World Report. Previously, the family nurse practitioner program was ranked No. 4 in the country by RegisteredNursing.org. College Choice recently ranked the online RN to BSN program as the third best in the country, and Online-Bachelor-Degrees.com also recently named WT one of the 10 best online nursing schools in the country.

Meeting regional needs, such as quality nursing, is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

—WT—