Winter pinning ceremony welcomes nurses to the profession
Thirty-nine Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing students were recognized at the pinning ceremony on Dec. 5.
For soon-to-be graduate nursing students at Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Dec. 5 was a milestone day in their nursing journeys as they celebrated at the winter pinning ceremony. Thirty-nine students received pins at the event, which recognizes their transition from students to professionals in the nursing field.
A long-standing tradition in nursing, the pinning ceremony is a rite of passage with special meaning in the profession. The ceremony originated in the 1860s, when Florence Nightingale was awarded the Red Cross of St. George for her service in the Crimean War. After she established the first nursing program, she presented pins to her brightest graduates to share and continue this honor. In 1901, graduation pins were awarded to the first class of nurses from the Lakeside Hospital School of Nursing, the predecessor of Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, and by 1916, the practice of pinning new nursing graduates was commonly celebrated throughout the U.S.
“The pin you receive today is a professional symbol that reminds you of the highly respected education you have received here at Case Western Reserve University and Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing,” remarked School of Nursing Dean Ronald Hickman, PhD, RN (CWR ’00; NUR ’06, ’13; GRS ’08, nursing), at the event. “By receiving your pins, you join a proud legacy that spans more than a century and represents both your education and your commitment to compassionate care.”
The ceremony recognized graduates from three of the nursing school’s degree tracks, including one Bachelor of Science in Nursing, eight Doctor of Nursing Practice and 30 Master of Science in Nursing students.
“All of you have immersed yourselves in clinical experiences, showing bravery in the face of complex challenges and compassion for those in your care,” Dean Hickman said. “And you’ve done it all while balancing obligations outside of school. You are an inspiration to all of us.”
