Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 27/99) - The legislative assembly's Great Hall was filled to capacity Saturday afternoon as a group of Aurora College graduates began a new chapter in their lives.

Only a week after their final nursing exams, a class of 11 from the college's Northern Nursing Class officially received their diplomas, nursing pins and best wishes from college staff, territorial politicians and friends and family at an afternoon graduation ceremony.

"It's exciting and kind of scary," said Yellowknife graduate Maureen Ruptash. "We're out there by ourselves now."

Ruptash was joined by a variety of relatives, including her children. They hugged their mom and let the crowd know through their applause just how pleased they are with their mom's success.

"We're all very proud of her," daughter Lynda said. "She's an excellent role model."

Fellow graduate Kathy MacPhee's mother, Annie Richards, travelled all the way from P.E.I. in order to see her daughter officially become a nurse. The moment was even more special considering the fact Richards herself spent 65 years as a nurse.

"It feels wonderful (to see her mom in the audience)," MacPhee said. "It's an honour."

Class valedictorian Maurica Babiuk thanked college staff and said the class owed a special debt to each other, their teachers and their families.

Among those in the audience for the third Northern Nursing Class graduation was Education Minister Charles Dent.

"Graduations -- they're the best part of the job," he said. "It is tremendous to see people coming through and Northerners getting into the system."

Carol Anderson, director of patient-care services at Stanton Regional Hospital, was the ceremony's guest speaker. She told the graduates they had indeed chosen to embark upon a special career.