Drake University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS) held a Nursing Pinning Ceremony on August 8, 2025, in which 19 students received pins symbolizing the completion of their one-year program.
“I’m excited to go out and start working and making a difference in patients’ lives, but I’ll also miss being here with each and every one of you,” graduating student Beth Posey said in an address. “Laughing, debriefing after exams (…) and all of the connections that we’ve been able to make.”
Pinning ceremonies represent a nurse’s entry into the profession. The tradition began in the twelfth century, when knights who cared for the sick would wear a Maltese cross insignia. Centuries later, in the 1860s, Florence Nightingale was awarded the Red Cross of St. George in honor of her life-saving medical care during the Crimean War.
Nightingale and other nursing educators began presenting badges to their most skilled graduates. Today, it is a tradition for nursing schools across the world.
“Unlike graduation, which celebrates academic achievement, the pinning ceremony marks something more personal: The moment a nurse steps fully into their calling to serve, to comfort, and to lead,” said Dr. Abby Rail, Assistant Professor of Nursing.
Another difference from a traditional graduation: Each student walked across the stage with a loved one or a mentor. That special guest bestowed the pin onto the graduating nurse.
Not only was this ceremony a significant milestone for the students, but it also represented a historical moment for Drake CPHS as they graduated the first cohort of the new Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program.
“You, the very first graduates of Drake University’s ABSN program, are not just entering the profession,” Rail said. “You are leaving a legacy. You are setting the standard for all who will follow, and we could not be more proud of you.”