The Cal State San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus held a special nursing pinning ceremony on Dec. 15 in the campus’ Indian Wells Theater to recognize and honor 20 pre-licensure nursing students who completed the nursing program at the Palm Desert Campus and are receiving a bachelor of science degree in nursing this year.

Students were presented with nursing pins by CSUSB nursing faculty and were joined by an audience of family, friends and various CSUSB faculty, staff and administrators.

A pinning ceremony is a symbolic welcoming of newly graduated nurses into the nursing workforce as they prepare to serve the public.

“The pinning ceremony is a very intimate ceremony for our nursing graduates and their families, as well as our faculty and staff,” said Sastry Pantula, dean of the CSUSB College of Natural Sciences.

“At this ceremony, they learn about the history of the pinning ceremony, take a pledge to be selfless in their service to everyone without prejudice, and light a candle to honor the ‘lady with the lamp,’ nurse Florence Nightingale,” he said. “It is a very memorable event for future nurses, their families and the community.”

Academic awards were also presented at the ceremony, and students shared photos and videos from their nursing program journey.

That evening, a nursing pinning ceremony was also held at the university’s San Bernardino campus specifically for nursing students enrolled there.

Visit the CSUSB Nursing Department website for more information about the university’s nursing program.

About PDC: The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, teaching credentials and certificates, and plays a vital role in educating the region’s growing population.

For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the Office of Strategic Communication at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the PDC website at www.csusb.edu/pdc.