 Graduate, Akpa Ndubuisi (left), with his wife who is also a nurse. |
Nursing students at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) joined the prestigious ranks of more than 19,000 University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) alumni during a rite of passage known as the Pinning Ceremony, held Monday, December 10th at the USG campus. The celebration, shared with family and friends of 32 participating graduates, marked the successful completion of the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Nursing degree and the transition into the nursing field as professionals for December 2012 graduates.
The event included remarks from UMSON leadership, Marjorie Fass, Assistant Dean for Student and Academic Affairs, and Patricia Morton, PhD, RN, ACNP, FAAN, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, who traveled from the Baltimore campus to address graduates with words of congratulations and praise. Janice Hoffman, PhD, RN, Assistant Dean for the Baccalaureate Program, also visited from main campus to participate in the event.
During the ceremony, a ribbon holding the official UMSON class pin is draped around the neck of each graduate as they cross the stage by an individual who holds a special relationship with that student – parents, spouses, children, mentors and extended family. Often times, students are pinned by a fellow nurse.
 Student speaker, Laura Sarti (left), and fellow graduate, Pamela Wanki, celebrate together after the ceremony. |
Two graduating seniors, Gail Rojas and Laura Sarti, delivered heartfelt and inspiring remarks on behalf of their fellow classmates, recalling their early days as nursing students, expressing joy for their accomplishments, and conveying excitement for the future. Clinical instructor, Patricia Harris, MS, CRNP-PMH, who was selected to deliver an address on behalf of the faculty at USG, encouraged students with her own stories of past clinical rotations and her first years on the job.
Rebecca Wiseman, PhD, RN, Assistant Dean for Shady Grove and Barabara Dobish, MSN, RN, moderated the presentation of pins. To close the ceremony, Pamela Shumate, DNP, RN, CCRN-CMC led all nurses present in reciting the professional nursing pledge with graduates.
 Student, Ing Ing "Katie" Chen (right), with one of her guests. |
This is the third annual UMSON Pinning Ceremony to be held on the USG campus. Although 32 students were able to participate in the ceremony, this semester’s full class of graduates includes 37 traditional B.S. Nursing students and 4 students advancing their Registered Nurse (R.N.) credential to a full bachelor’s degree.
The UMSON class pin has been a tradition since 1894. Until 1970, only members of the Alumni Association were permitted to wear the pin; however, in 1970, the Alumni Association offered their pin for use as the official insignia of the School.
Click here to view all photos from the 2012 Nursing Pinning Ceremony.