VUSN student Mary Howes, right, snaps a photo of two of her children, Bridget, 2, and Ryan, 16, following Sunday’s pinning ceremony. (photo by Mary Donaldson)
VUSN students show pin pride
Nearly 200 Vanderbilt University School of Nursing students received their professional pins of Nursing at a ceremony held Sunday in Langford Auditorium.
VUSN Dean Colleen Conway-Welch, Ph.D., welcomed a crowd of more than 1,500 family members and supporters to the event, which featured the nursing school's 100th class.
Vanderbilt's program begins and ends in August. The pinning ceremony formally recognizes students when they finish the program, and many students return to campus for Vanderbilt's official commencement celebration in the spring.
Courtney Young shows off her professional pin of Nursing following Sunday’s event. (photo by Mary Donaldson)
“No matter where your education and interests take you, you will always have a strong connection to Vanderbilt,” said Conway-Welch, addressing the audience.
Betsy Weiner, Ph.D., R.N., senior associate dean for Informatics, explained the professional pin is a symbol that dates back to Florence Nightingale.
“The pin of each School of Nursing is unique, and only graduates of that school may wear the pin as a statement that they have completed that program,” Weiner said. “It represents pride and individual achievement.”
During the ceremony, students in each specialty area in the school were recognized with awards for excellence in their area of focus, presented by their program director:
• Lacey Honey was honored by the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program;
• Rachel Gentes was honored in the Adult Nurse Practitioner Program;
• Sheryl Dawn Redlin-Frazier was the top student in Clinical Management;
• The Family Nurse Practitioner Program Award went to Virginia Massey-Holt;
• Denise Mary Cornell was chosen from the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program;
• Lauren Elizabeth King was recognized in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program;
• Beth Anne Baus took home the award for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program;
• Danielle Melissa Dittrich was chosen for the specialty award in the Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Program.
Other awards included the Amy Frances Brown prize for excellence in writing, given to student Lee Ann Jarrett. Student Michelle Harris won the VUSN alumni award. Amy Bull, M.S.N., R.N., assistant professor of Nursing, was honored with the Julia Hereford Award by students for her contributions outside the classroom or clinic. The student body also honored Tom Christenbery, Ph.D., R.N., assistant professor of Nursing, with the Sara K. Archer Award for outstanding contributions to teaching and scholarliness.
VUSN Dean Colleen Conway-Welch, Ph.D., welcomes the crowd at Langford Auditorium. (photo by Mary Donaldson)
A total of 266 students took part, representing 16 nursing programs at the school. Nine were recognized for completing their post-master's work.
Vanderbilt nurse-midwifery students carry one additional semester of classes and are officially pinned in a December ceremony.