Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University graduate student Jean Sitton (pictured) was recently selected as one of North Carolina’s top 100 nurses.

The Great 100, an organization that annually recognizes the top nurses in the state, will honor Sitton at a black-tie reception held Oct. 6 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. The Great 100 also provides volunteer opportunities and scholarships for nursing education.

“Jean is passionate about learning,” said Marianne Hollis, WCU assistant professor of health sciences. “She is really committed to the education of not only herself, but sharing that information with her colleagues. Jean definitely deserves the honor.”

Marcia Caserio, WCU regional director of educational outreach, said that Sitton is committed to the nursing profession. “Her quest for knowledge and her sincerity is so obvious when she shares what she has learned. She is already making a difference in both the community and the hospital,” Caserio said.

Sitton is working toward a master’s degree in health sciences with a concentration in gerontology and expects to graduate in May 2008. She is nationally certified in gerontology nursing and medical surgical nursing. She has held workshops for more than 400 adults about aging, caring for Alzheimer’s patients and providing support to caregivers in the home, and served as a panelist at the North Carolina Conference on Aging in October 2006. In addition to her studies, she holds a full-time position at Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville and volunteers for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“I’m very humbled by the whole experience,” said Sitton. “Working on a master’s degree opened up many doors for me and allowed me to participate in research projects and work in the community. Being named a Great 100 nurse would have never happened had it not been for the opportunities I had at Western.”

For more information about the gerontology program at Western, contact Marcia Caserio at (828) 693-8375.