WCU-Orange County Honors Graduation of 21st Dental Hygiene Cohort During November

West Coast University-Orange County honored 25 graduates of the dental hygiene program at a ceremony in November.

Graduates’ families, friends and WCU faculty and associates all gathered at the Brookhurst Community Center on Nov. 3 to honor their accomplishments.

Magna Cum Laude graduate Felicia Centeno received the Community Service Award recognizing her outstanding achievement in community projects and service and also received the Sigma Phi Alpha Award from the National Dental Hygiene Honor Society for proving her commitment excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. At the ceremony, Centeno shared that she chose West Coast University because of the “fast-paced” structured environment.

“The professors and everybody are very supportive,” Centeno said. “They really prepare you for going out into the real world and working in an office – especially when we’re getting ready for our exams. They really prepare you for that so you feel comfortable and confident going into the exams.”

Cum Laude graduate Shekineah Bastrom echoed Centeno’s remarks.

“I definitely feel that this program gave me the tools that I needed in order to succeed in passing the national boards and becoming licensed as a dental hygienist.” Bastrom added. “The faculty members were very supportive and always there to help push the students through and offered us support in anything that we needed.”

Other graduates received awards during the ceremony as well:

Research Award – The Antimicrobial Effects of Kombucha: Abigail Ellerbe, Bobbie Jasper, Mark Allison, Nardeen Anwar, Nada Azer
Ergonomics Award: Crystal Gutierrez
Community Service Award: Felicia Centeno
The Golden Scaler Award: Joselyn Padron
Outstanding Leadership Award: Nancy Saldaña
S.T.A.R. Award: Elizabeth Salazar
Endurance Award: Vitoria Dodson
Sigma Phi Alpha: Nada Azer, Lyca Montero, Felicia Centeno
Dean’s Award: Nada Azer
Valedictorian – Nada Azer; Summa Cum Laude – Nada Azer, Lyca Montero; Magna Cum Laude – Felicia Centeno, Nancy Saldaña, Nina Tran; Cum Laude – Shekineah Bastrom, Yvette Eguilos, Nicole Ewart, Trang Ho, Bobbie Jasper, Stefani Jimenes, Jocelyn Padron, Natalia Rosa, Elizabeth Salazar, Paul Tran

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