by Bryson Durst, Student Public Relations Writer
As the academic year draws to a close, the Cedarville University School of Nursing is planning a series of celebrations to honor its undergraduate and graduate students.
The Nursing Honor Society (NHS) will hold its annual induction ceremony on Thursday, April 28. NHS will welcome 143 new junior, senior, and graduate students. Students are inducted into NHS if they are in the top 35% of their class and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
“This group is a huge encouragement to us who are in it, and I hope the underclassmen can see what we’re doing,” said Rachel Moore, a senior nursing student from Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, who serves as the Nursing Honor Society’s secretary. “Hopefully we can be the people that others turn to if they need help in the nursing program.”
“The Nursing Honor Society is a really good platform for students to get involved in and not only focus academically but also use their skills to help people around them,” said Eden Liang, a senior nursing student who serves as the Nursing Honor Society’s vice president.
Existing and new Nursing Honor Society members, their guests, and faculty will attend the ceremony. NHS advisors Dr. Michele Dodds and Dr. Anne Russell will preside over the ceremony.
On Friday, May 6, the school of nursing will honor graduating seniors and graduate students. The school will hand out awards for highest GPA, character quality, clinical practice, advanced nursing practice, leadership, spirit of inquiry and more. Dr. Angelia Mickle, dean of the school of nursing, will then address the students. Following this event, students graduating with a Master of Science in Nursing will participate in a traditional hooding ceremony. This year, the school will celebrate 45 graduate students earning degrees. As each student is called up, that student’s area of focus coordinator and Dr. Kim Higginbotham, director of graduate programs in the school of nursing, will place the hood. “The hood is a special part of academic regalia that denotes scholarly and professional achievements,” said Higginbotham.
Graduating seniors will participate in a traditional pinning ceremony. The pins handed out at these ceremonies often reflect a unique aspect of the school handing them out. The pins Cedarville students receive include a crown, resembling Cedarville’s seal and symbolizing the school’s Christian faith and focus on ministry.
“The pins demonstrate our care for the students, having seen them come the whole way through this program,” said Suzanne Lefever, assistant dean of the school of nursing and director of undergraduate programs.
In addition to faculty, staff, and graduating students, family and friends of the students being recognized are invited as well.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,715 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.