First nursing graduates take part in pinning ceremony

In a tradition that goes back more than a century, the first graduating class of UC Irvine’s nursing science program will participate in a pinning ceremony Sunday, June 14, in the Student Center’s Pacific Ballroom. Dressed in their white coats, the 36 graduates will be called individually to the stage to be awarded a specially designed UCI pin from program director Ellen Olshansky and associate director Ellen Lewis as a symbolic welcoming into the nursing profession. “The pinning ceremony is a rite of passage that each nurse takes on a long journey toward a rewarding career,” says Olshansky. “Because we’re honoring UCI’s inaugural class of nursing graduates, this event is even more special.”