USC Aiken
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