In a special ceremony, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College nursing students received their pins, a tradition for nursing students which dates back to the 1860s. The event was held on Friday, May 7, in the Hamilton Arena.
About 20 Bachelors of Science in nursing students were awarded their pins by nursing faculty and SMWC staff. Students chose a significant person to accompany them on stage and place the pin on the graduate.
Marcia Miller, Ph.D., RN, spoke to those being pinned, thanking them for their hard work especially during the difficult times of the pandemic.
“Through this crisis, you have demonstrated resilience and perseverance,” Miller said to nursing students. “One of my favorite quotes of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin is, ‘We cannot do our work if we stay in the nest.’ We have every confidence that you are ready to leave the nest. We know that you have the heart, the mind, the hands and the soul of a professional nurse.”
Several awards were also presented during the ceremony.
Friends of Nursing Award was given to Janet Clark, Ph.D., vice president for academic and student affairs. She was applauded for her work to get campus as close to normal as possible during the pandemic, spending time rearranging classrooms, heading the COVID taskforce and coordinating testing and vaccine sites.
Outstanding RN-BSN Scholarly Project was given to Angela Morales, RN. She works as a certified nursing assistant instructor for high school seniors in the Vigo County School Corp. Her project was to increase enrollment of males in nursing education programs. She created posters and videos based off her research, which the school corporation will implement in the coming school year.
Outstanding BSN Scholarly Project was presented to Austin Massey. He demonstrated strong competencies in evidence-based practice and the process of quality improvement. He studied techniques in the operating room to protect patients and staff during surgeries.
Andrew Delnat, MSN, RN, was recognized as Outstanding Nursing Instructor.
Sister of Providence Barbara Battista conducted the intimate Blessing of the Hands. She addressed each student and said a prayer with them as she wished them luck in the futures of care.
“You are God’s presence in this healing profession,” Sister Battista said.
The pin adorns a lamp, which symbolizes a lit lamp used by Florence Nightingale while caring for injured soldiers during the Crimean War. It reiterates the meaning of nursing, with care and hope.
