[Bridgeview, IL] Northwestern College’s Violet L. Schumacher School of Nursing held a virtual Pinning Ceremony on Saturday, December 5 for its Fall Quarter Nursing graduates. There were thirty four (34) students eligible to participate. This traditional ceremony is held quarterly and marks the formal induction of a student into the Nursing profession.
Due to COVID-19, the ceremony had to move to a virtual platform pursuant to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) guidelines. This is the second virtual pinning event held by the College. The first such ceremony was held in September for its winter, spring, and summer Nursing graduates whose pinning ceremonies were postponed due to the pandemic.
The December 5 Fall Pinning Ceremony took place online via Zoom and included the graduates, the Northwestern College Nursing faculty and staff, and friends and family of the honorees.
The 34 Nursing students that graduated this fall from the Violet L Schumacher School of Nursing include: Charnise E. Abbott; Folarin S. Adeboye; Kelly Baker; Gianna M. Capecci; Jennie E. Castro; Brianna M. Causey; Jasmine B. Chatman; Rebbeca Chavez; Helen N. Condo Ochoa; Arnillia L. Corbin; Mariela Cortez; Kareema Davis; Siera Effinger; Arely Hernandez-Escobar; Giana N. Irizarry; Brandi L. Jameson; Tatiana D. Jones; Erica P. Lawson; Tyneisha Lester; Tamera McCoy; Jenessa Medina; Eunice Mercurio; Angel Michel; Brandi Miner; Nkiru C. Ozoigbo; Laura Pasnicki; Tyshinna A. Sanders; Chevon M. Sykes; Giselle Tapia; Angela M. Taylor; Martha Troncoso; Mariah A. Vega; JauRisha V. West; and Janea Williams.
Graduate Nurse Jennie Castro served as the student speaker selected to represent the Class at the ceremony.
The Pinning Ceremony began with a Welcome by Lauren Spraggins, the Associate Dean of Nursing for the Violet L Schumacher School of Nursing. She followed with a history of the pinning ceremony, which further outlined the symbolism incorporated in it.
The ceremony then featured the traditional presentation of pins to each individual graduate, facilitated by Lead Faculty Member Jasmin Ford. The graduate nurse is usually pinned individually by leading Nursing faculty, which was not possible with a ceremony conducted via Zoom. Instead, Lead Faculty Member Ford called each Graduate Nurse’s name, and someone physically present with them affixed the pin on the Graduate’s white coat.
The ceremony featured the lighting of a candle held by a lantern, symbolizing the passing of the flame from the founder of professional nursing, Florence Nightingale. Associate Dean Spraggins led this portion of the ceremony. From locations all around the Chicagoland area, the Nursing Graduates each lit their candles. When all of the lanterns were lit, Simulation/Lab Coordinator Mary Lou Saindon led the graduates in the recitation of the Nurses Oath, the Florence Nightingale Pledge. The ceremony concluded with closing remarks.
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 this past fall 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, 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 (NC) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 230 S. LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604, (312) 263-0456, www.hlcommission.org. The college offers focused career-oriented bachelor and associate degrees as well as certificate programs with flexible schedules and a supportive faculty. Day, evening, weekend, online classes and online programs are available. More information can be found at www.NC.edu or by calling toll-free (888) 205-2283.