SUNY Broome nursing graduates honor the memory of Aleen Ameen and support her scholarship
When the 2025 nursing class pinning committee met to begin planning this year’s Nursing Pinning Ceremony, they still felt the monumental loss of one of their own. Nursing class president Caitlyn O’Reilly (RN ’25) remembers, “When we were in the planning stages for this ceremony, our goal was to honor and remember Aleen in a special way [during the pinning] as she should’ve been here with us to receive her pin.”
Aleen Ameen
Aleen was returning home with family members from a pilgrimage to Mecca when she and four other relatives passed away in a motor vehicle accident on Jan. 16, 2024. She would have graduated on Thursday, May 22, 2025, and participated in the May 21, 2025, pinning ceremony.
The family listens to O’Reilly at the ceremony and Armanj Ameen speaks about his daughter | Photo Credits: Matt Ebbers
Aleen’s family attended the pinning ceremony to honor their daughter, sister, niece, and cousin. Her nursing classmates made special efforts to remember Aleen. After calling the family to the stage, O’Reilly addressed them, “Please accept this shadow box in memory of Aleen from her fellow nursing students. It includes the pin we are receiving tonight.” The shadow box also included Aleen’s nursing scrub top and a heartfelt note from her nursing classmates. O’Reilly added, “As we all move forward in our lives, we will always remember Aleen as a special friend and classmate. Though her life was cut short, she made an indelible impact here at SUNY Broome. In addition to the shadow box, we as a class are making a donation in the amount of $2,500 to Aleen’s scholarship in her memory.” The donation resulted from a year-long fundraising effort by the nursing students.
At the ceremony, Aleen’s father, Armanj Ameen, thanked the nursing class for the loving tribute to his daughter’s memory. He shared, “My family will never forget this day and what you have done to honor Aleen. She was a fighter who never gave up, and she would want all of you to do the same”.
Aleen Ameen’s family on stage at the ceremony. | Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers
Her loved ones had previously rallied to bring good out of the tragedy by establishing the Aleen Ameen Memorial Award for Excellence in Nursing scholarship. They did so to keep her memory alive and to help a full-time continuing nursing student. The donors chose to set a preference for students interested in psychiatric nursing, the field that Aleen was passionate about.
Nursing graduates in the front row at the Pinning Ceremony Spring 2025 | Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers
On May 8, 2024, the scholarship was awarded for the first time to Danielle Tavares (RN ’25), who would become a member of the 2025 pinning committee, and was awarded for the second time, on May 7, 2025, to nursing student Andrea Westbrook.
“The moving recognition for Aleen, the gift of the shadowbox that was presented to the family, and the donation to her scholarship were very meaningful gestures for her loved ones, the nursing faculty, and her fellow students. Her death remains a tragedy, but seeing firsthand the deep capacity for kindness and hard work by Aleen’s peers is truly incredible. They are compassionate people, and they will be incredible nurses,” said SUNY Broome Foundation Executive Director Cathy Abashian Williams.
The 2025 Scholarship website has more student stories and the entire list of recognized students. The College is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of our Hornets.
If you are interested in establishing a scholarship, contact the SUNY Broome Foundation. If you are a student looking for scholarship information, visit the scholarship website.
Tags: BCC Foundation, Nursing, Scholarships, SUNY Broome Foundation
