-information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College presented pins to 45 graduates who earned their associate degree in nursing recently.

The May 10 event was held in the Civic Center on the Main Campus, with friends and family of the graduates in attendance.

The pinning ceremony was opened by ADN Program Head Dr. Anna R. Seaman, followed by welcoming reflections from Dr. Kim Sepich, vice president of Learning, Student Engagement, & Success, CAO. Cortney Ragan, 2021 ADN graduate and former class president, offered remarks from the perspective of a recent graduate of the program.

Nursing instructor Jamie Davis presented cords to students who participated in the VGCC Student Nurses Association. Davis also recognized students graduating with honors (a GPA of 3.5 or higher): Ashley Allen, Mariama Boye, Eunice Mwicigi, and Henry Nkenchor. Sierra Lewter was recognized as the graduate with the highest program-specific GPA.

Nursing instructor Kassie Felts shared the story of the VGCC nursing pin to the graduates and guests.  Following the story, Davis announced each graduate, including their future plans related to job acceptance as a Registered Nurse and career/educational goals. As each name was announced, Seaman presented each recipient with his or her pin. After Brande McIlroy read the story of the nursing lamp origins, the graduates joined her to recite the Nursing Pledge (written by Beverly Hansen  O’Malley, RN) by candlelight. Finally, Seaman presented the class as official graduates of VGCC’s ADN Class of 2023.

Most often associated with the nursing profession, pinning ceremonies serve to welcome Health Sciences students into their new professional community. The tradition of getting a token like a pin when starting a medical career can be traced back to the Middle Ages; the modern ceremony is modeled after one honoring Florence Nightingale in the 1860s.