Nurse Pinning tradition continues

  Thursday, May 11, 2017 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

On Thursday, May 11, graduates from the Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing will be recognized at Pittsburg State University’s Nursing Pinning Ceremony.

The School of Nursing holds the ceremony to honor the work each individual nursing graduate has accomplished in the program, as well as the work they will accomplish in the future as healthcare professionals. PSU has been carrying on this tradition since 1973.

The pinning ceremony begins at 7 p.m. today (Thursday) in Bicknell Center Family for the Arts. The ceremony will be streamed live online on pittstate.tv.

“In nursing we have lots of traditions and this is one of the special traditions that we do try to carry on here at Pittsburg State,” said Cheryl Giefer, director of the Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing. “Graduation is exciting, but pinning is also very special because they’re able to achieve the goal that they have all worked so long and hard for.”

When the pinning ceremonies first began at the university, students were allowed to ask a faculty member, a nurse, or someone in their family who had been supportive during their time in the program to come onto the stage and present them with their pin. In recent years, however, things have changed.

“They [students] have been unable to choose who the most important is, so they would just bring their entire family,” said Giefer. “We allow them to bring whomever they wish onto the stage.”

This year, more than 100 nursing graduates, plus their friends and family members, will attend the ceremony. The next evening the graduates will be honored again when they take part in the commencement ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences.

For more information, contact the School of Nursing at 620-235-4431.