Honoring 2024 Nursing Apprentice Graduates at Bibb Medical Center
By Savannah Logan
(Photos courtesy of Porfirio Solórzano, Shelton State Community College, Coordinator of Visual Communication)
Bibb Medical Center proudly celebrated the accomplishments of its 2024 nursing apprentice graduates: Kamolyut Mengumpun, Kendra Hoskins, and Carson Gibbs. These graduates successfully completed their nursing apprenticeship program in August 2024, passing the NCLEX exam to become Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). They have since transitioned into full-time roles at the hospital and nursing home facilities, continuing to contribute to the center’s commitment to high-quality healthcare.
The program’s success was further celebrated during the Apprenticeship Signing event held on January 23, 2025, at Bibb Medical Center. The ceremony featured remarks from leaders including Dr. Jonathan Koh, President of Shelton State Community College; Meredith Smith, Assistant Director of the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship; Joseph Marchant, CEO of Bibb Medical Center; and Dr. Andrea’ Bowden-Evans, Associate Dean of Health Services, Shelton State Community College.
In addition to honoring the 2024 graduates, the event marked the start of a new journey for Krista Yeager, the latest nurse apprentice. Krista will gain valuable hands-on experience at Bibb Medical Center while earning a paycheck for her clinical work. This initiative ensures that she will be workforce-ready upon graduation, equipped with both academic knowledge and practical expertise.
For this endeavor, Bibb County is on the map. Alabama is the first state to build a nurse apprenticeship program, and other states are interested in following their lead. Dr. Bowden-Evans in her remarks spoke of how the apprenticeship program is “unprecedented and visionary.” The ceremony concluded with the signing of agreements by the involved organizations, reaffirming their dedication to fostering education and professional growth in nursing.
Continuing the theme of growth, Bibb Medical Center and Shelton State Community College look forward to continuing the partnership they have held since 2022 with the shared mission of increasing the number of skilled nurses in West Alabama. Towards this goal, dozens of LPN graduates have gotten their healthcare start with teams all across West Alabama, boasting a 100% NCLEX pass rate as well as 100% in job placement. “We appreciate all the partners that have allowed us to get to this point,” Joseph Marchant shared, always emphasizing the team effort from everyone that makes success like this possible.
With a steadfast commitment to education, collaboration, and innovation, the nursing apprenticeship program continues to shape the future of healthcare in West Alabama — one skilled nurse at a time — paving the way for brighter opportunities and healthier communities ahead.
