For Release:          Immediate – December 1, 2017

Contact:                 Dave Dellecese, Public Affairs Specialist ­

                        (315) 792-7307 | ddellecese@sunypoly.edu

SUNY Poly Hosts Second Annual White Coat Ceremony

First-year nursing students pledge commitment to highest professional standards

UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute hosted its second annual White Coat ceremony for first-year nursing students on Friday, December 1 in the Wildcat Fieldhouse in Utica, supporting SUNY Poly’s commitment to graduating the best nursing students in the healthcare industry and featuring SUNY Poly alum Dr. Carol Anne Kozik, a Professor of Practice at LeMoyne College, as keynote speaker.

“This tradition is a terrific way for our students to start their academic careers with an official commitment to their profession and the high-quality of care they will provide their patients,” said Dr. Bahgat Sammakia, Interim President of SUNY Poly. “It is a special moment for our students, and we are honored to be there with them as they re-affirm their dedication to caring for others.”

Prior to her work at LeMoyne College, Dr. Kozik was an Assistant Clinical Professor at Upstate University in the College of Nursing. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) presently working at Liberty Resources Family Health Care Resources Center in Syracuse. With 21 years as a FNP, she has worked in care settings throughout Central New York as diverse as those for at-risk children and adolescents to hospice care.

White Coat Ceremonies for Nursing are held to promote the importance of compassionate, patient-centered care to new nursing students. Students take an oath pledging their commitment to the highest professional standards.

“Maintaining an annual tradition such as the White Coat Ceremony is a source of great pride for SUNY Poly,” said Dr. William Durgin, SUNY Poly Provost. “It signifies the dedication of our students as they pursue a difficult course of study to become some of the best health care providers in the industry. It is a wonderful testament to the outstanding educators we have in our College of Nursing.”

Emphasizing the privilege a FNP has when spending time, no matter how great or small, with their patients, Dr. Kozik stresses the impact that nurse practitioner make upon the lives of their patients and that of their families. She holds a Doctorate of Nursing Science from The Sage Graduate School, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Health Systems Administration from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Nursing Informatics from Duke University, a Master of Science as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Upstate Medical Center, a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Regents College, an Associate’s degree in Nursing from Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Psychology from SUNY Institute of Technology, now known as SUNY Poly, where she graduated magna cum laude in 1978.

“The White Coat Ceremony signifies an important crossroads for the clinician whereby they move from their didactic learning into their clinical experiences,” said Dr. Kathleen Rourke, Interim Dean of the College of Nursing. “Students are often excited and anxious at the same time as they are ready to demonstrate their proficiency in what they have learned in the classroom but at the same time anxious that they may not meet the standard that they expect of themselves.”

SUNY Poly’s academic offerings in nursing include: R.N. to Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 1+2+1 AAS/BS program in collaboration with St. Elizabeth College of Nursing, and Master of Science degrees in Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration and Nursing Education. SUNY Poly’s undergraduate and graduate nursing programs are registered by the New York State Education Department and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing.

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About SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)

SUNY Poly is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.