In an event steeped in both tradition and celebration, the Towson University Department of Nursing held a pinning ceremony for its graduating class of December 2013.
The Department of Nursing’s graduating class
More than 85 nursing students were pinned on Thursday, Dec. 19 on campus in the Center for the Arts, where nursing faculty and staff, family, friends and university administrators gathered to revel in the achievement.
College of Health Professions Dean Charlotte Exner and other faculty and staff were on hand to commemorate the occasion, as were featured speakers that included student leaders, advisers and chair of the department, Kimberly Christopher.
“The pinning ceremony represents a true achievement for these nursing students, who have worked tirelessly to get here,” says Christopher. “We’re all just so proud of them as they pass through this rite of passage and become the nurses we know they can be.”
The keynote address was delivered by Elaine Tagliareni, chief program officer for the the National League of Nursing. A prominent leader in her field, Tagliareni for 25 years taught aspiring nurses at the Community College of Philadelphia. Today, she works to identify grant-funded initiatives to support education models that increase the academic progression of nursing graduates across the country.
Students were then pinned, presented with gifts, awarded for specific achievements and asked to recite the Nursing Pledge:
I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly to practice my profession with integrity, honesty and commitment.
I will contribute to the betterment of my profession by working to elevate the standards of nursing care by adding to nursing’s body of knowledge and by delivering person-centered nursing care.
I will care for individuals, families and groups with respect, advocating for them, and maintain their confidentiality. I will refrain from administering treatment which will cause them harm.
Through collaboration, inquiry and pursuit of wisdom, I will endeavor to safeguard the health and welfare of those committed to my care.
