View Larger Image Shayla Stinnett, far left, and Andrew Prince, far right, stand with the Cytology Program's Class of 2025 after they put on their white coats for the first time.
Shayla Stinnett, far left, and Andrew Prince, far right, stand with the Cytology Program's Class of 2025 after they put on their white coats for the first time. Image by Evan Lewis

Cytology Students Don White Coats in Ceremony

By Ben Boulden

| Cytology students in the Class of 2025 donned their white coats for the first time March 21 and celebrated the completion of academic, classroom study and the start of their clinical learning in working laboratories.

The cytology program is part of the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences in the College of Health Professions. The program provides students with hands-on experience as vital members of diagnostic teams, specializing in cellular analysis to detect diseases like cancer and infections.

Andrew Prince helps a cytology student on with her white coat during the ceremony.

Andrew Prince helps a cytology student on with her white coat during the ceremony.Evan Lewis

During the white coat ceremony, Shayla Stinnet, M.Ed., CT, program director, commended the class for their academic achievement as well as their commitment and engagement with curriculum.

“Each of you brings your own story, your own motivation and your own spark,” Stinnett said. “Whether it was a personal experience with illness, a fascination with the microscopic world or a desire to be part of something bigger than yourself — what unites you is a shared sense of purpose. And it’s that purpose that will carry you forward into the clinical phase with strength and integrity.”

She commended the families and friends of the students for the emotional and practical support they provided to them to get them through moments of self-doubt and for the encouragement that sustained the students along the way.

“Your role is behind the microscope, but the impact of your work will be felt in every diagnosis, every treatment plan, every life touched by the answers you help provide,” Stinnett said. “As you slip into these white coats today, know that you carry with you the dreams of those who love you, the trust of those who teach you, and the hope of every patient you’ll never meet but will help save nonetheless.”

Andrew Prince, M.S., CT, assistant professor in the cytology program, helped the students don their white coats. The white coat recipients of the Class of 2025 were:

  • Liberty Dilbeck
  • Catherine Dill
  • Allison Mack
  • Kelsey Mosher
  • Patricia Nyangoma
  • Alexia Reichenbach
  • Parth Sharma
  • Shelby Tate