BCC Graduates 32 Nursing Students at Pinning Ceremony

See more photos from the event here. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Hundreds of friends, families, and faculty filled the Robert Boland Theatre on Thursday to celebrate those earning associates' degrees in nursing at Berkshire Community College.

The pinning ceremony marked the hard work and dedication of 32 graduates over two years.

"The pin you receive tonight is small, but it's meaning is profound. It symbolizes the trust placed in you by your patients, your colleagues in this profession," said Dean Lori Moon. "Most importantly, it represents the promise you make to every patient you will encounter, to see them as human beings, to protect their dignity, to care for them with skill, integrity and heart."

Associate professor of nursing Kelley Alibozek graduated from the course in 2011, and was chosen as the keynote speaker because of her ability to inspire through leadership, empathy and an unwavering commitment to service. She addressed the graduates, some of whom she taught, and expressed how honored she felt to be able to speak before them. 

She spoke about how their time has been a "marathon" to get to the pinning and move onto their next step in becoming nurses.

"You finally found that feeling where you can breathe again, and you found that feeling where you can finally hang up and retire those nursing school marathon shoes, that marathon we've been talking about, what a milestone in your nursing journey," she said. 

The graduates celebrated together with their favorite motto: "no person left behind."

"We all know what you will do, and we know that you will pass, not if, will. You will do that by working together. You will do that by studying question after question … ," she said. "You will celebrate together, just like you are doing tonight. You will celebrate each and every success of each and every classmate. Because why? No person left behind." 

She noted how challenging nursing can be but together, she said, they can do it. 

"Now, your profession, it's challenging. It sure is. But you know what? You are entering the best profession in the world, I promise you. But it can be challenging," Alibozek said. 

They had to become the nurse who remembers the human connection and not just their skills.

"Guys, be that nurse, the nurse that offers the pause. Be real. Be human. Be creative. make that connection, because that human love, the realness, is what the patient and their families will hold on to forever, and what may be one of the worst moments of their entire lives, the simplicity. We can make a break back be that nurse."

After the pinning, graduate Grace Ellrodt reminisced on their time through the program, calling out each one of her classmates, and "how each student has nurtured patients, peers, loved ones, strong traits, and sources of joy."

"To each of you beside me, we took care of each other. and most proud of that. And to those classmates with us at any point along the way, they join us as nurses when the time is ready for you," she said. 

Awards

Academic Excellence in Nursing: Rachel Moriarty
Clinical Excellence in Nursing: Thomas Gwinnell
Professionalism in Nursing: Petrina Roberts
Berkshire Health Systems Spirit of Caring Award: Santiago Diaz Charry 

Graduates

WWII Veteran Reflects on D-Day at VFW Post Induction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
12:25PM / Saturday, June 06, 2026

The members in the picture are Bret Miller, Coast Guard, Desert Storm; Hank Morris, Army, Vietnam; Brad Havill, Navy, Global War on Terror; VFW Post 448 Vice Cmdr. Mark Pompi, Army, Global War on Terrorism, Afghanistan; Post Cmdr. Arnold Perras, Korea; Joe Difillipo, Army, Vietnam; Teri Billington, Navy, Desert Storm; and Carmen Ostrander, Air Force, Afghanistan.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Anthony Salatino Jr. says his memory is getting a little foggy about his time in the Army. 

But he remembers how terrible D-Day was, and feeling lucky he wasn't among those in the initial invasion force 82 years ago. 

 

"One of the most horrible things was in Normandy. We went shortly after D-Day. I got lucky, very lucky on D-Day. We went to a staging area the night before … and at the very end, somebody called, I was in headquarters, they called all the headquarters personnel at the center," the 103-year-old said. "We did not go. There's about 30 of us. The rest of the battalion was gone, and the reason for that was because there was another battalion coming from the States, and they had no headquarters. 

 

"We stayed back, but we did go to Normandy shortly after that, and when we went to Normandy, it was all over."

 

Salatino was attending an induction ceremony on Thursday at the Lt. John N. Truden VFW Post 448. Joseph Texidor, who served in the Army for 17 years with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, was sworn in as the post's newest member. 

 

Salatino served in the Medical Corps and wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, a World War I veteran wounded at Verdun. Salatino was in the Army for about three years.

 

"The whole memory is what I just told you, very, very alive to me," he said. "That is, I can never forget, never forget that."

 

D-Day on June 6, 1944, was the start of Operation Overlord, and the largest invading force to cross the English Channel since 1066. Their goal: to liberate Europe from Nazi Germany.