On Friday afternoon, Olivet Nazarene University’s School of Nursing held its annual Pinning Ceremony in Kresge Auditorium — a moment cherished by nursing graduates and their families alike. The event marked a sacred transition from student to professional, as 2025 graduates received their pins and were formally welcomed into the nursing profession with words of blessing, gratitude and celebration.
The ceremony highlighted the incredible amount of work nursing graduates put in to arrive at that moment. “You’ve taken 24 pre-req classes, completed 23 nursing classes, 720 clinical hours, practiced in the VLC for over 85 hours, and completed 30 hours of community service.” said Dr. Cathy Dillinger, Pre-Licensure Program Director. “You’ve taken approximately 105 exams or quizzes. You’ve studied 1500 to 3000 hours, and you’ve mastered 107 skills. You have earned today.”
Family, friends and faculty filled the auditorium for a packed house, many wiping away tears as graduates stood one by one to receive their pins and personal blessings from faculty mentors.
In the nursing profession, each college’s nursing pin is unique. “First, we have the lamp of knowledge, a reminder of what you have learned throughout your time here at Olivet,” explained Ralph Barzditis, Adjunct Faculty member in the School of Nursing. “Never let the flame of your lamp burn out. Second, the dove and the olive branch, these represent peace. Know that the Holy Spirit will provide peace as you interact with your clients, healthcare teams and loved ones, every day. And lastly, a Bible with a cross. This reminds you to start and end every day with God.”
Nursing Student Association President Jacob Sprague then stepped to the podium to share the class verse, Psalm 90:17. “May the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands in us.” Sprague followed with a reading of the nurse’s prayer.
God, teach me to receive the sick in Thy Name.
Give to my efforts success for the glory of Thy Holy Name.
It is Thy work: without Thee, I cannot succeed.
Grant that the sick Thou hast placed in my care
may be abundantly blessed, and not one of them be lost
because of any neglect on my part.
Help me to overcome every temporal weakness,
and strengthen in me whatever may enable me to bring joy
to the lives of those I serve.
Give me grace, for the sake of Thy sick ones
and of those lives that will be influenced by them.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
As part of the closing Blessing of the Hands, all nurses, including those just pinned, were asked to stand and extended their hands to receive God’s blessing for their new and continued work as nurses. For some students, this was a dream years in the making. For others, a calling discovered mid-life. For all, it was a moment of unmistakable purpose.
As the ceremony concluded, students turned to one another with hugs, laughter and the kind of tears that mark both the ending of something beautiful and the beginning of something even greater.
To watch the full pinning ceremony, click here.
To learn more about the Olivet Nazarene University School of Nursing, click here.
*This article was re-published on May 21, 2025
