UC Blue Ash Nursing Grad Carries on a Family Tradition

There were tears of joy and relief as graduates of the UC Blue Ash College nursing program officially received their nursing pins in a special ceremony recently held on the college campus.

A total of 83 students graduated from the program this spring, and the majority of them participated in the UC Blue Ash Nurse Pinning Ceremony on April 25 in Muntz Auditorium.

The Pinning Ceremony for new nurses dates back to the 1860s when Florence Nightingale was awarded the Red Cross of St. George for her tireless work during the Crimean War. To share this honor, she in turn presented a medal of excellence to her brightest graduates. By 1916 the practice of pinning new nursing graduates became a standard in the U.S.

Graduates from the UC Blue Ash program could invite family members to present them with their pin during the ceremony. Sarina Haugen, from Mt. Orab, knew exactly who she wanted on the stage when she received her pin; her grandmother, Marilyn Haugen, who inspired her to go into nursing. Marilyn spent decades as a pediatric nurse practitioner in Middletown and was the primary health-care provider to hundreds of children.

“I have a really difficult time putting into words all that she accomplished in her nursing career, because she is truly exceptional,” said Sarina. “She received so much recognition on the national and state levels for her excellent nursing care and dedication to the profession. I hope I have some of the same qualities.”

Several other graduates had special pinning ceremony stories. There were the sisters, Megan Applegate and Amanda Gregory, who graduated together, and a student who had a baby during her first year in nursing school and was able to have her young daughter at the ceremony to present her with her nursing pin.

Through professors with extensive experience in the field of nursing, students in the nursing program at UC Blue Ash College receive a comprehensive education that prepares them to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Many of this year’s graduates will go directly into the workforce, while some plan to transition to the University of Cincinnati in Clifton to pursue a Bachelor’s in the Science of Nursing (B.S.N.).

For more information about the nursing program at UC Blue Ash College, go to

www.ucblueash.edu/nursing

or call 513-745-5665.

UC Blue Ash College is a regional college within the University of Cincinnati. It offers one of the best values in higher education with access to a nationally recognized UC education in nearly 50 degrees and certificates, as well as tuition that is about half of most colleges and universities. The college is located on a scenic 135-acre wooded campus in the heart of Blue Ash, Ohio. To learn more, call 513-745-5600, visit us online at www.ucblueash.edu, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.