Pinned with Purpose: Celebrating Our RN-to-BSN Graduates

May 14, 2026
  • Table centerpiece of red and green with a floating white candle in a center vase and nurse pinning ceremony paper program sitting on top

    A Celebration of Excellence and Community

    The ceremony brought together distinguished leaders and loved ones to mark this milestone. We were honored to welcome President Cook and Dr. Cook, alongside deans, chairs, and directors who joined in recognizing the graduates' remarkable achievement. Their presence marks a testament to the values of not only academic excellence, but also the human beings behind the degrees.

    Family members, colleagues, and mentors filled the room, each a witness to the countless hours of dedication that led to this moment. The energy in Memorial Union was one of immense pride, accomplishment, and heartfelt joy.

  • The Pin: A Symbol That Speaks Without Words

    The tradition of pinning holds a special place in nursing history. The pin is not merely decorative; it is a symbol of passage, of promise, and of identity. For our RN-to-BSN graduates, receiving their pin carried an even deeper meaning. These are nurses who have already stood at bedsides, held hands in moments of fear, advocated for patients with strength and compassion, and carried the weight of healing on their shoulders. To earn the BSN is to deepen that calling — to strengthen the science behind the art, to sharpen the advocacy, and to grow as leaders in healthcare.

  • Honoring Service with Service: The Mary Greeley Honor Guard

    A moving moment of the evening came with the participation of the Mary Greeley Nurse Honor Guard, who offered a powerful and heartfelt tribute to our graduates. Their presence served as a profound "thank you" — a recognition that the nurses being celebrated that night are not just students completing a program...they are professionals who have already served their communities with courage, and who chose to invest in themselves so they could serve even better.

    The Honor Guard's tribute was a reminder of the deeper stakes of nursing education: that when a nurse grows, their patients benefit. When a nurse leads with more knowledge, more confidence, and more advocacy, communities become healthier.

  • Red roses sitting close to each other on a red tablecloth and the Iowa State University Nursing Pin in front of each rose

    To Our Graduates

    To each nurse who walked across that floor and received their pin — this moment belongs to you. You have earned it not once, but twice: first when you became a nurse, and again now, as you rise to meet the next level of your calling.

    You are the reason we do this work. You are the future of healthcare — not just as practitioners, but as advocates, educators, and leaders. We are so proud of who you are, and even more excited for who you are becoming.

    Congratulations, BSN graduates. May your pin remind you always of this night, of how far you've come, and of how much you have left to give.