“Remember your why.” With those words, graduate Myrhanda Tyler summed up the heart of the 2025 Olivet Nazarene University Social Work Pinning Ceremony. Held in Kresge Auditorium, the event wasn’t just a recognition of academic achievement—it was a powerful commissioning for lives of service, compassion and advocacy.
Dr. Hillary Cole, Chair of the Department of Social Work and Criminal Justice, opened the morning with a warm welcome, addressing not just the graduates, but also the family, faculty and field supervisors who walked alongside them. “You are about to enter a profession that demands both your heart and your hands,” she said. “We celebrate today not just what you’ve completed—but what you’re being called to.”
Throughout the ceremony, that sense of calling echoed again and again. In her address, Tyler reflected on the deep bonds and transformational moments shared by the cohort of 15 women. “We built more than a degree—we built a family,” she said. “And together, we’ve been shaped to serve.”
Graduate Katelyn Mach spoke next, highlighting how four years of rigorous coursework, hands-on fieldwork and countless life lessons had prepared the class for real-world impact. “You’ve shown me what it looks like to have a community that supports you in every season,” she said. “And now, we get to take that kind of love and give it away.”
The program also included the induction of six students into Phi Alpha, the National Social Work Honor Society, honoring their academic excellence and professional integrity. And in a deeply moving moment, Alyssa Lopez was named the 2025 recipient of the Spirit of Social Work Award, recognized by her peers for her humility, leadership and tireless advocacy.
But it was perhaps the benediction by graduate Nadia Brown that left the lasting imprint: “God, we praise you in advance for what you have done that we are not even aware of yet.” Her prayer pointed forward—to the unseen impact the graduates will have as they bring healing, hope, and justice into the world.
As Dr. Cole reminded the audience, “Today is their first day stepping into the world as professional social workers. The world needs what they bring. And we couldn’t be prouder to send them out.”
To watch the full ceremony, click here.
To learn more about the Social Work major or minor, click here.
