Denmark Technical College held their annual Nursing Pinning Ceremony on August 12, celebrating the 28 nursing graduates who are about to enter the workforce, surrounded by hundreds of family members, friends, educators, staff and administrators in an overwhelming show of support.
The pinning ceremony is an age-old tradition in the nursing field and, in many rights, just as momentous as the graduation ceremony itself. Nursing is often regarded as one of the toughest courses of study and the pinning ceremony is a symbol of the hard work and dedication students have put into their coursework and clinicals.
“These nursing students, in particular, deserve to be commended for their devotion to their fields. Not only have they shown tremendous fortitude in their academic studies, but also bravery and perseverance as they faced their clinicals head on throughout the peak of a global pandemic,” said Dr. Willie L. Todd Jr., Denmark Technical College president and CEO. “I have no doubt that each and every one of them has what it takes to build an amazing career.”
“These nursing students have dedicated the past two years of their lives to rigorous study and grueling clinical schedules. I’m so proud of all they have accomplished,” added Karen Myers, dean of nursing at Denmark Tech.
The keynote speaker at this year’s ceremony was Quenton Tompkins, government affairs manager at MUSC, who delivered sage advice and inspiration to the class as they prepare to transition from students to working nurses.
Three students were recognized with special awards during the ceremony. Shakerria Johnson was honored with the Academic Excellence Award, Keyana Stroman received the Outstanding Clinical Performance Award and Tiffany O’Neal was named Best All-Around Student.
The culmination of the evening was the presentation of pins and ceremonious capping followed by the lighting of the Nightengale Lamps and the Florence Nightengale Pledge. The pledge is a modified version of the Hippocratic Oath where the newly pinned nurses commit themselves to ethical and principled work throughout their careers.
As this group of nursing students heads into the workforce, Denmark Technical College is preparing for the next cohort, which begins Monday.
“I’m excited for what the future holds for these students and the classes to come. Right now, we have a wealth of opportunities for students to study at little to no cost to them, so I encourage anyone interested in a career in the healthcare field, or any of the numerous programs we offer, to start today,” said Todd.
