PIQUA – Today’s nurses continue to face unprecedented challenges, making the nursing pinning ceremony held on May 13 so special for the 24 Edison State Community College students who have chosen to enter the career field.
The pinning ceremony is a time-honored tradition in which the graduate nurse is presented to family and friends as a professional who is about to practice nursing. The graduate is usually “pinned” by the faculty members who have worked with them throughout their studies.
Each school has a unique pin, which serves as a symbol of the successful completion of a rigorous curriculum, which prepares its graduates to administer to the sick and injured and promote health through the practice of nursing.
In addition to receiving traditional nursing pins, Edison State honored the life of Marvella Fletcher by awarding each of the graduates a unique COVID angel pin. Fletcher was appointed to the Board of Trustees for Edison State Community College in 2013, most recently serving as vice chairman, and was to be the incoming chairman.
Spending the last 10 years of her career as a vice president of finance at Wayne Hospital, Fletcher will be remembered by the college community for her unwavering devotion to the health sciences programs at Edison State.
“Marvella was a powerful leader, and her power influence did not end with her passing this past year,” Edison State President Doreen Larson said. “As an Edison State trustee, Marvella worked with outstanding attention to hiring and supporting female leaders for the college. She took particular pride in the fact that along with her election as the vice chair of the board, the current chair of the board, Tami Baird-Ganley, and I formed the first-ever female team at the highest levels of college leadership. However, Trustee Fletcher’s heart was centered on the nursing program and nursing graduates from Edison State.”
Larson commended the graduates, stating, “the 2021 Edison State nursing graduates are destined for greatness. They will carry the special legacy of Trustee Fletcher represented by the angel pin they have been awarded.”
“Trustee Fletcher attended every nursing pinning ceremony at Edison State with pride and respect for the graduates and the faculty. As a former hospital administrator, Trustee Fletcher knew the value of quality nurses and nursing careers. I have no doubt that the graduates of this nursing class will hear a special voice and feel special confidence that will propel them to extraordinary success. Congratulations, graduates!”
The pinning ceremony was held in person, following guidelines to ensure the safety of those participating. Graduates themselves were required to wear masks and have their temperature taken as they entered the campus. Family members, friends and supporters took turns watching graduates receive their pins from behind glass doors.
Following the successful completion of the program, graduates will prepare to take the National Council Licensure Examination to become registered nurses.
Edison State Community College’s nursing program has maintained full accreditation and approval throughout its history. In 2018, the Ohio Board of Nursing granted Edison State’s associate of nursing degree program a full five-year approval. In 2019, the program earned an eight-year continued accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, the highest level a program can receive.
Applications for Edison State’s registered nursing program are being accepted for the spring 2022 semester. For more information about the program, visit www.edisonohio.edu/programs.
