Lamar Community College (LCC) will honor its graduating nursing students on May 7 during the Nurse Pinning ceremony, a traditional rite of passage that signifies the completion of their studies and their ability to begin working professionally in the medical field.  

Nursing students from both the class of 2021 and 2020 will be honored during the ceremony, slated for 10 a.m. at the LCC Wellness Center. The class of 2020 was unable to hold an in-person celebration last year due to safety restrictions in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Only ticket holders will be permitted to attend the event. Nursing graduates will be allotted a limited number to distribute to their family and friends due to ongoing COVID-19 capacity restrictions. Safety precautions including social distancing will be in place during the ceremony. Attendees are asked to wear a mask and refrain from attending if they are feeling unwell. The event will be live streamed on YouTube and will be available to view after the ceremony.

Twenty-three students from the class of 2021 will be pinned during the ceremony, including eight from the Level I (Practical Nursing) and 15 from the Level II (Associate Degree in Nursing/Registered Nurse) programs. Twenty-nine students from the Class of 2020 will be pinned, including 15 from the Level I (Practical Nursing) and 14 from the Level II (Associate Degree in Nursing/Registered Nurse) programs.

LCC Nursing student Sarah Walsh was nominated by her peers to speak during the ceremony. All nursing graduates have been invited to share brief prepared remarks which will be read by Career and Technical Education and Nursing Instructional Coordinator, Shealynn McCracken.

Spirit Dance will be performing a dance entitled “Hands of a Hero” which will commemorate health professionals who have worked through the pandemic.

A reception will follow the Nurse Pinning Ceremony. 

To watch the livestream of the Nurse Pinning Ceremony at LCC, visit https://youtu.be/hZHRXUvnIDM.