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Nursing Grads Celebrated at Pinning Ceremony

Aiken, SC (11/23/2020) — The University of South Carolina Aiken School of Nursing celebrated its fall 2020 graduates during a pinning ceremony, held just prior to graduation.

The ceremony is a honorable tradition for those earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing. Friends and family watched a livestream of graduates as they received a professional pin that displays symbols specific to UofSC Aiken. The pin includes colors of red and gold to represent courage and worthiness. It also features the Double Knot, a notable marker on campus that symbolizes the relationship between the university and the community. The seal of the State of South Carolina is also displayed, to give emphasis to the value placed upon higher education. Rays of light at the top of the pin symbolize the light of knowledge.

Students also lit candles as part of the tradition honoring Florence Nightingale, who is considered to be the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale, who became known as "the lady with the lamp" during the Crimean War, would keep watch over sick patients after medical officials retired for the night. The lighting of the candle represents the tradition that nurses light their lamps of caring and hope.

Thayer McGahee, dean of the school of nursing, says that although this year's ceremony was a little different from those in the past, the importance still remains.

"Although our pinning ceremony will look a little different this year and cannot include guests, we did not want this significant milestone in the lives of our graduates to go unrecognized and without celebration. We are so very proud of them and all they have accomplished."

Fall 2020 School of Nursing Graduates:

Cynthia Afedo-Abotsi

Valerie Allen, RN

Veronica Alvarez

Murphy Bazemore

Brielle Bedenbaugh

Brittany Bowen

Alivia Bryan*

Christine Carroll

ShaMeka Carter, RN

Richelle Conteh

Kelly Dacre*

Magen Dain

Nicole Daley, RN

Amanda Diehl, RN

Stephanie Easterwood, RN

Amelia Eaton, RN

Brett Fessler*

Candice Grant*

Amanda Guidry

Janay Hampton

Chanda Howard, RN

Natalie Hurley, RN

Katrina Hutson

Alvin Iribhogbe*

Jasmine Jamison*

Nadia Jones*

Jeffrey Keisler, RN

Shelby Kirkland

Amanda Kornacki

Benjamin Langdale*

Lillian Lightsey*

Donielle Lindsay, RN

Chelsea Mack

Makenzie Maxwell

Melanie Mole, RN

Kabrea Montgomery

Oluwatoyin Mordi

Evan Morris*

Nicholas Morris*

Eduar Murillo*

Catherine O'Brien*

Catherine Onoh, RN

Taylor Pennington, RN

Sierra Perry

Tanika Powers, RN

Ki Prince

Kiara Ramsey

Cheyanne Ray

Brianna Rectenwald

Catherine Reinhart, RN

Elena Richardson*

Mary Richey, RN

Haley Salters*

Eliana Sessions*

Mackenzie Stafford

Holly Sweeting

Chloe Syms

Tatum Torchia*

Roberto Vital

Taylor Wallace

Terra Warren, RN

Shelby Werda

Meghan Williams

Sheena Williams, RN

Holly Wise, RN

Elizabeth Yonce*

Destiny Young*

Marlina Young

*Member of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society

Media Attachments

The ceremony is a honorable tradition for those earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing. Friends and family watched a livestream of graduates as they received a professional pin that displays symbols specific to UofSC Aiken. The pin includes colors of red and gold to represent courage and worthiness. It also features the Double Knot, a notable marker on campus that symbolizes the relationship between the university and the community. The seal of the State of South Carolina is also displayed, to give emphasis to the value placed upon higher education. Rays of light at the top of the pin symbolize the light of knowledge.


Amanda Guidry
Amanda
Guidry
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2020
  • Grovetown, GA
JH
Janay
Hampton
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2027
  • Hephzibah, GA
CC
Christine
Carroll
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2027
  • Cincinnati, OH
BF
Brett
Fessler
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2027
  • Aiken, SC
Candice Grant
Candice
Grant
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2020
  • Columbia, SC
VA
Veronica
Alvarez
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2021
  • Swansea, SC
Thayer McGahee, RN, PhD
Thayer
McGahee
  • Associate Professor, Dean
  • Nursing
  • Augusta, GA
AB
Alivia
Bryan
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2027
  • North Augusta, SC
MB
Murphy
Bazemore
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2021
  • North Augusta, SC
VA
Valerie
Allen
  • Nursing - R.N.
  • Class of 2021
  • Leesburg, GA
Magen Dain
Magen
Dain
  • BSN
  • Class of 2020
  • Grovetown, GA
Kelly Dacre
Kelly
Dacre
  • Harlem, GA
AD
Amanda
Diehl
  • Nursing - R.N.
  • Lugoff, SC
RC
Richelle
Conteh
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2027
  • Grovetown, GA
ND
Nicole
Daley
  • Nursing - R.N.
  • Class of 2027
  • Augusta, GA
CH
Chanda
Howard
  • Nursing - R.N.
  • Class of 2021
  • Aiken, SC
NH
Natalie
Hurley
  • Nursing - R.N.
  • Class of 2021
  • Summerville, SC
SE
Stephanie
Easterwood
  • Nursing - R.N.
  • Class of 2021
  • Lexington, SC
AE
Amelia
Eaton
  • Nursing - R.N.
  • Class of 2021
  • Charleston, SC
SC
Shameka
Carter
  • Nursing - R.N.
  • Class of 2021
  • Augusta, GA

USC Aiken

UofSC Aiken News (803) 641-3738, news@usca.edu

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