Every year, Adelphi University celebrates the occasion of nursing students graduating with its Pinning Ceremony—a decades-old rite of passage that marks the transition of students as they leave the University to begin their nursing careers.
“Nursing is an art and a science,” said Deborah Hunt, PhD ’12, dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health. “Steeped in history dating back to ancient times, the Pinning Ceremony is sacred and holds special meaning to the students and the faculty who teach and mentor them.”
Surrounded by faculty, alumni and loved ones, students take this step forward into their careers, carrying with them a degree, a gold pin and the vast knowledge they have gained during their nursing education. As students reach the end of their program, they take the time to come together and honor the strides they have made to get to the precipice of a career in nursing.
For students at Adelphi, stepping across that stage means more than just receiving a pin. It is an acknowledgment of the hard work they have put in, encompassing the hours spent studying and applying their knowledge in labs and clinicals. “I still remember the solemnity of the ceremony and how honored I was to be pinned,” said Dean Hunt. “The pin symbolizes the essence of nursing and is worn with pride.” Students recite the international pledge that guides their professional practice, surrounded by classmates and professors who supported their journey.
One of the ways the ceremony is made special is through the guests who attend it. Students are invited to have family or important members of their life come to the ceremony and watch them receive their pin. Traditionally, a faculty member or registered nurse would give the student their pin, but in recent years, programs have given students the freedom to choose a special person to join them on stage to pin them.
Many students choose parents, siblings or faculty who have had a strong impact on them—someone who supported them or helped them in their academic career. Beyond just recognizing and celebrating the individual accomplishment of completing the nursing program, the ceremony shows students the network of nurses and mentors they have to rely on.
The Origin of Pinning Ceremonies
Pinning ceremonies can be traced back to 1883 when Florence Nightingale was awarded a Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria for her service during the Crimean War. Since then, it has become a staple in nursing programs across the country, with each school designing its own pin to represent its program. “Every nursing program has a unique pin, and our graduates are recognized as an ‘Adelphi Nurse’ who has been prepared as a leader,” said Dean Hunt.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) celebrates nursing week in May as a way to celebrate and call awareness to the effort nurses give every day. The 2026 theme is “The Power of Nurses” and culminates on May 12—the birthday of Florence Nightingale.
As these students receive their pins, they join the ranks of nurses like Dean Hunt who attended Adelphi to earn their degree, and those in the years since pinning ceremonies began who made that same step into the next chapter of their journey.
Nursing at Adelphi
Adelphi’s nursing program is highly ranked, up 32 places from last year and 61 from its 2023 ranking on the U.S. News & World Report’ list of best BS in nursing programs. With undergraduate, master’s degree, accelerated and PhD nursing programs, Adelphi offers students a broad number of options for finding their place in the world of nursing. And its Clinical Education and Simulation Lab (CESiL) provides students with hands-on experience in patient care and medical procedures.
The program includes the Transition to Professional Practice course, which tests and prepares students for practicing medicine beyond the classroom. “This is the culmination of the program, focusing on the synthesis of knowledge, clinical judgement, critical thinking and final clinical immersion experience to prepare for the role of a professional nurse,” said Dean Hunt. Adelphi’s CESiL and network of partnerships provide ways to build confidence and assurance with the skills students have learned by placing them in healthcare facilities for hands-on learning.