The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE Va, (VR) – Nursing students from Mountain Gateway Community College celebrated their arduous work, academic achievement,
and professional commitment during the annual Nurse Pinning Ceremony on National Nursing Day, Wednesday May 7 marking a significant milestone for the Class of 2025.
College President Dr. John Rainone addressed the graduates, highlighting their resilience and dedication to healthcare. “You have met rigorous academic and clinical challenges with determination, compassion, and grace,” Rainone told the assembled students, families, and faculty.
The ceremony, steeped in tradition, featured a keynote speech by seasoned nurse Andrea Fridley, who emphasized the importance of lifelong learning in the nursing profession. “Nursing is a field that never stands still,” Fridley said. “Medical knowledge expands, technology advances, and best practices evolve.”
Graduates were individually pinned by family members and close friends, a symbolic moment representing their transition from students to professional nurses.
Each student was recognized personally, with parents, siblings, and loved ones participating in the pinning process. The event paid homage to nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, with a historical presentation detailing her contributions to modern nursing. The ceremony included a
traditional lamp lighting, symbolizing the “Lady with the Lamp” who revolutionized healthcare during the Crimean War.
A poignant moment came during the blessing of hands, where blessings were invoked for the graduates’ hands that would “touch many lives, feel the pain of others, and provide comfort and healing.”
The graduates recited the Nightingale Pledge, a time-honored tradition that commits nurses to ethical and compassionate patient care. The pledge emphasizes professional integrity and dedication to patient welfare.
Dr. Rainone noted the significance of the ceremony occurring on National Nursing Day, highlighting the critical role nurses play in healthcare. “You have gained more than credentials,” he told the graduates. “You have embraced a vocation that changes lives.”
The pinning ceremony represents more than a simple graduation event. It is a
profound rite of passage that connects new nurses to a long-standing professional tradition, symbolizing their commitment to healing and service.
Fridley encouraged the new nurses to find their passion within the diverse field of nursing. “There is a perfect place for everyone in nursing,” she said. “No one area is better than another. Find the area that makes you excited to go to work each day.”
The graduates represented a diverse group, each bringing unique backgrounds and motivations to the nursing profession.
From pediatric care to emergency services, these new nurses are prepared to enter various healthcare settings.
The ceremony concluded with a blessing that emphasized the transformative power of nursing, recognizing the graduates’ potential to make a significant impact in patient care and community health. As the newest class of nurses prepares to enter the healthcare workforce, they carry with them not just academic credentials,
but a deep commitment to compassionate, professional care.
The Mountain Gateway Community College Nursing Program continues to be a critical pathway for preparing healthcare professionals, bridging education with real-world medical practice. For these graduates, the pinning ceremony
marks not an end, but a beginning, the start of a challenging and rewarding professional journey dedicated to healing and service.
