Nursing pinning ceremony honored Defiance College seniors

May 2, 2016

Pictured left to right are nursing students who received pins at the ceremony: Kathy Bahler (Napoleon), Jade Graf (Defiance), Denise Doda (Defiance), and Ann Little (Lima). Not pictured was Casondra Lipp (Defiance).

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Five students were recently awarded pins at a ceremony recognizing their achievements as nursing students. The pins serve as a prestigious rite of passage as they graduate with bachelor’s degrees in the nursing profession.

Students who received pins are Denise Doda, Jade Graf, and Casondra Lipp, Defiance; Ann Little, Lima; and Kathy Bahler, Napoleon. Several staff and faculty members from Defiance College were present for the ceremony to support the soon-to-be graduates.

The tradition of nursing pinning dates back to the 12th century with the Knights Order who took a vow of service and wore a cross on their uniform. The pin was both literally and symbolically a cross to bear, signifying dedication to those who were sick, injured, or dying.

During the 1860s, Florence Nightingale honored nurses with a medal of excellence at the Nightingale School of Nursing in London. By 1916, the practice of pinning nursing graduates had become a common practice in the United Kingdom and North America.

The Defiance College nursing pin is symbolic of the founding of Defiance College. The College seal is engraved in the center and framed by the words “Defiance College” and “BSN.” Pictured is a Native American, the first settler in the Defiance region, a soldier that depicts Fort Defiance, and an apple tree for the trees planted by Johnny Appleseed.

Commencement takes place on Saturday, May 7, on the Defiance College campus.

Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The college website is www.defiance.edu.