On May 8, Chattanooga State’s nursing program acknowledged the accomplishments of 98 students during its annual pinning ceremony.  A symbolic, meaningful observance, the pinning ceremony was a momentous occasion, cloaked in the established formalities that accompany significant life transformations.  Prior to receiving their pins, Chattanooga State students were honored and recognized by their professors, underscoring their diligence to their educational pursuits and challenging them to remain steadfast as they transition to their new roles.  Chattanooga State’s nursing students concluded their college careers by participating in the college’s 35th annual commencement celebration held on Monday, May 11, at Memorial Auditorium.

“The pinning tradition is a highly anticipated event for the students and for the Chattanooga State faculty,” says Dr. Cynthia Swafford, director of Chattanooga State’s nursing program.  “As mentors, we intensely follow the progress of the students, and the pinning ceremony is the culmination of the effort and dedication they exhibited throughout their college career.  In addition, we know that with each pin we award we are responding to our community’s nursing shortage.”

Pinning is a time when students publicly commit to nursing.  During the ceremony, future nurses recite the Nightingale Pledge, named after nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale.  The oath obligates them to perform their jobs professionally and faithfully, to aid the physicians with whom they work and to devote themselves to the welfare of the patients for whom they care. Chattanooga State students, who graduate with an associate of applied science degree in nursing, are eligible and fully-prepared to take the National Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses.

For more information about admission into Chattanooga State’s nursing program, call the nursing department at 423.493.8740 or email the nursing department at rninfo@chattanoogastate.edu.  To review details about the nursing program, visit the college’s Web site at www.chattanoogastate.edu.

For information about Chattanooga State and its educational programs, call the Chattanooga State information hotline at 423.697.4404 or toll free at 1.866.547.3733 or visit the college’s Web site at www.chattanoogastate.edu.

Chattanooga State is a comprehensive, regionally accredited community college, operated under the policies and guidelines of the Tennessee Board of Regents College System.  Founded in 1965 and serving a six-county area in Southeast Tennessee, Chattanooga State offers a wide array of programs and services.