2021 MEC Nursing Pinning Honors NOVA’s Dedicated Nursing Students

Last week, NOVA’s Medical Education Campus celebrated its annual ‘Nursing Pinning Ceremony’ for the class of 2021. The outdoor ceremony was held at the Manassas Campus Amphitheater. 

Dr. Mary Pat O’Brien opened the event by honoring NOVA’s outstanding nursing students. Dr. Beatrice McKeithen, the newly-appointed interim provost for the MEC also gave remarks. McKeithen, a lifelong health advocate and founding dean of students for the MEC, spoke of the excitement of the day. NOVA President Anne M. Kress also joined the small and socially-distanced gathering on stage to give congratulations to the nursing students.

“You have relied on dedicated faculty, committed family and friends to help you, each and every step of the way,” said Kress. “You have masked up, you have ‘PPP’d up,’ you have ‘zoomed in,’ you have ‘canvas’d out,’ you have socially distanced and you have learned more about simulations–more than you have probably wanted to. This has been a year unlike any other year for nursing students, and you have shown that you have been up for any challenge in your path.”

O’Brien closed her remarks before announcing student speakers in a heartfelt message. “Nursing changes lives,” she said. “And that changes everything. Enjoy your journey.”

Mary Peterson, NOVA Nursing Student Association president; Ryan Thomas, nursing student speaker and Brigette Richter, vice president, Nursing Student Association, gave brief heartfelt messages in appreciation for their peers before the newly-graduated nurses were presented with a pin from their college faculty.

Nursing Faculty Brenda Clark, Dr. Fonya Atabong, Dr. Esther Abisogun, Dorothea Johnson and Trudy Kuehn rose to pin each student in the nursing class.   

To see the full recording of the event provided by NOVA’s Visual Services at NOVA’s Video on Demand link.

Submitted by:
Hoang Nguyen, Media Relations, HDNguyen@nvcc.edu