MC School of Nursing pinning ceremony marks graduates’ transition from students to professionals

Graduating seniors in the MC School of Nursing recite the school's creed during the December 2024 nurse pinning ceremony.

For Mississippi College senior School of Nursing students like Kellie Strong, the nurse pinning ceremony is more than a graduation ritual: it’s a formal reception into the sacred profession of nursing.

“The pinning ceremony holds profound significance,” said the Bentonia, Miss. resident, who is set to receive her Bachelor of Science in Nursing this spring. “It represents the culmination of our relentless hard work, unwavering dedication and the strength we’ve drawn from God along the way. It’s a moment filled with pride and emotion as we are officially embraced into a profession rooted in compassion and the genuine care we have for others.

“This ceremony is not just a celebration of our achievements, but a heartfelt acknowledgment of the journey we’ve shared and the lives we will touch in our nursing careers.”

The MC School of Nursing will host its pinning ceremony at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, at First Baptist Church in Clinton. About four dozen students are anticipated to participate in the ceremony, many of whom have secured jobs post-graduation.

“We are so proud of each of our graduates,” said Kelly Harden, professor and dean of the MC School of Nursing. “They have excelled in a very rigorous program and are ready to care for others as the hands and feet of Jesus. We are excited to celebrate their work at this prestigious ceremony.”

Jordan Owens, instructor in the MC School of Nursing and coordinator of senior-semester events, said the ceremony marks the transition period for students moving into the practice of nursing.

“The pinning ceremony is symbolic of our students stepping out of the role of the student and into the role of the nurse,” Jordan said. “To many students, it is as important as the actual Commencement, a special time for them to be individually recognized in a more intimate setting with their classmates, family members, friends and faculty.

“The ceremony serves as the bookend to their time here with us.”

The nursing pin originates from the Maltese Cross, carried as a symbol of service to Christ during the Crusades. The large cross became a much smaller pin worn by those working to heal the sick and dying in various orders.

In modern times, Florence Nightingale designed and awarded the pins to the graduates of the first School of Nursing in England at the completion of their nursing education, and the tradition spread. The pin includes the graduate’s name or initials on the back and contains the degree and university motto.

“The ceremony represents our official rite of passage into the nursing profession,” said Kyndal Porter of Hernando, Miss., who will be receiving her Bachelor of Science in nursing during MC’s spring commencement on May 9. “It honors the calling God has placed on each student’s life.

“It is a symbol of commitment to practicing the Christian values that were instilled throughout our nursing education.”

In addition to the distinctive pin, each graduating senior-semester student will receive a yellow rose. Roses were presented to members of the first graduating class of nurses more than five decades ago, and they have remained a tradition championed by Susan Richardson, a member of that original class, and nursing alumni ever since.

Owens said School of Nursing faculty will perform a Blessing of the Hands, consecrating each student into the ministry of nursing. The students will recite the School of Nursing creed and perform the ceremonial lighting of the nursing lamps, signaling their duties as nurses have begun. Recipients of nursing awards and honors also will be recognized.

“I’ll always cherish the whirlwind of emotions I experience after the White Coat Ceremony,” Strong said. “Stepping into this new world brings a mix of expectations: fear, joy, overwhelming pressure and deep gratitude. Through it all, I held onto my faith and kept God at the center of my journey.

“I’m truly thankful for this transformative experience. While it is challenging, I feel a sense of relief and accomplishment in having reached this milestone.”