Northwestern College held 2023 Winter Quarter Nursing Pinning Ceremony

[Oak Lawn, IL] On Thursday, March 16, Northwestern College’s Violet L. Schumacher School of Nursing held a Pinning Ceremony for its Winter Quarter Nursing graduates. The ceremony was once again conducted at the Oak Lawn Public Library’s lower-level conference room following the college’s recent move from Bridgeview to Oak Lawn.

This traditional ceremony marks the formal induction of a student into the Nursing profession. Seven (7) Northwestern College Nursing students graduated this quarter and were eligible to participate. Students, staff and faculty all played a part in the ceremony.

The 7 graduates of the Winter 2023 Class of the Violet L Schumacher School of Nursing include: Jasmine Cokes; Arriane C. Collins; Lashanda Gaiter; Julian Gonzales; Latoya Holliday; Charron Johnson; and Matthew Rouba.

The Pinning Ceremony began with a Welcome by Lauren Spraggins, the Dean of Nursing for the Violet L Schumacher School of Nursing and included a brief history of Northwestern College. Dean Spraggins was followed by Lab Coordinator Erica Katz who provided a more detailed history of the pinning ceremony itself, which further outlined the symbolism incorporated in it.

The ceremony continued with the traditional presentation of pins to each individual graduate. Lead Faculty Jessica McKinley and Associate Professor Kimberly Williams called each graduate nurse’s name, and as each individual came forward, a pin was affixed to the lapel of their white coat.

The ceremony then featured the lighting of a candle held by a lantern, symbolizing the passing of the flame from the founder of professional nursing, Florence Nightingale. Dean Spraggins led this portion of the ceremony. A candle was symbolically lit and used to light the candle of the first graduate nurse, who in turn symbolically lit the candle of the graduate beside her, passing the flame on to all graduates of the Class. Lead Faculty Jessica McKinley led the graduates in the recitation of the Nurses Oath, the Florence Nightingale Pledge. The ceremony concluded with closing remarks.

This is the third pinning ceremony held in Oak Lawn following the College’s move from its Bridgeview Campus. As the larger public spaces in the College’s new campus remain under construction, the Oak Lawn Library was secured as the venue for this quarter’s ceremony.

Students that successfully complete the Nursing Program of the Violet L. Schumacher School of Nursing will have earned their Associate of Applied Science Degrees in Nursing, and upon passage of the NCLEX-RN licensure examination, will receive the Registered Nurse (RN) designation. Students that completed their coursework at the end of the winter quarter are eligible to sit for the upcoming NCLEX exam.

Interested Nursing students that enroll at the Violet L Schumacher School of Nursing can begin their Nursing Programs during any of the College’s four quarters – Fall (September), Winter (January), Spring (April), and Summer (June). At the end of each quarter, those Nursing students that complete their studies and graduate are eligible to participate in the traditional pinning ceremony, which is hosted four times yearly.

The Violet L Schumacher School of Nursing opened in the Fall of 2010 and was named for a 1930’s student of Northwestern College (formerly known as Northwestern Business College from 1902-2008) who later became an employee, and then finally purchased the College in 1958. Violet Schumacher was a visionary who advocated for students seeking higher education and served as President Emeritus of the College until her death in 2013 at the age of 98. Her son Lawrence Schumacher has served as Northwestern College’s President since 1978.

About Northwestern College:

Northwestern College’s mission is to educate, prepare, and empower our diverse student body to pursue their professional goals. We offer career focused programs that are taught in a student-centered learning community and are flexible for our student needs. More information can be found at www.NC.edu or by calling toll-free (888) 205-2283.