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The 2025 Lamplighter Scholarship event, held on January 30 in the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Atrium, celebrated over 70 student scholarship recipients. Melissa Emerson, chair of the college’s Advisory Board and chief operating officer of Bethesda Hospital East & West, emceed the program.

Dean Cameron Duncan welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of students acquiring the skills and knowledge to meet the health needs of our communities. "Lamplighter scholarship recipients symbolize the light that nurses become to their patients who appreciate the care and compassion they receive," he said.

In her remarks to the student scholars, special guest speaker Dr. Breanne Levarity, an adjunct clinical instructor and ´óÏó´«Ã½ alumna, shared her story of how nurses providing care and purpose to a young woman diagnosed with breast cancer influenced her way forward. "As aspiring nurses, you are not just choosing a career; you are choosing a mission – to be the steady hand in the storm, the beacon of compassion, and the voice for those who have none."

Lamplighter recipient and Freshman Direct Admit student Lilian Krechnyak expressed her gratitude to the sponsors and individual contributors of this scholarship. “As a first-generation college student, this scholarship is more than financial help; it’s an investment in my future, allowing me to focus on my studies and become an ICU nurse."

The event concluded with scholars meeting their Lamplighter donors, reinforcing the powerful impact of their support on the future of nursing.

To view more photos from this year's Lamplighter event, please visit our .