During a May 9 ceremony harkening to the 12th century, the School of Nursing pinned its 59 spring graduates. The pinning ceremony was part of the university’s Spring 2024 graduation events, which included its three commencement ceremonies on May 10. It also coincided with the annual recognition of National Nurses Week.

“Our graduates have endured a rigorous program that has prepared them to enter the nursing profession,” Dr. Tammy Condrey, RN, MSN, CNE, director of the School of Nursing, explained to those in attendance. To the graduates, she continued: “You are moving forward into a wonderful career where you will make a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis.”

The pinning ceremony is a time-honored tradition symbolizing nursing graduates’ entry into the profession. These pins signify the culmination of their dedication and hard work and serve as badges of pride for nurses throughout their careers. The tradition of nursing pins dates to the Maltese crosses awarded to caregivers during the Crusades. Its evolution into a symbol of nursing excellence honors Florence Nightingale’s Crimean War battlefield heroics and her influence on nursing after the war.

The school dedicated the ceremony to the memory of 2001 nursing graduate, U.S. Army veteran and Columbus City Councilor Jerry “Pops” Barnes. Barnes died in April 2024.

“As an RN and city councilor, ‘Pops’ played an important role in improving the physical and mental health of our community,” Condrey said. “He was a great supporter of the School of Nursing and Columbus State University, and we will all miss him.”