CSM Nursing Graduates ‘Light the Way’ as a New Generation of Nurses

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) held its pinning ceremony for 45 nursing graduates as they step into the professional world of healthcare.

On Thursday, January 15, the Brad and Linda Gottfried Theater on the CSM La Plata Campus filled with family, friends, and loved ones holding balloons and flowers. Heartfelt congratulations and shouts of “I love you” rang from the audience.

The Nursing Recognition Ceremony is organized by members of the graduating class. This year’s theme, Lighting the Way: A New Generation of Nurses, signifies the strength of nursing professionals and their dedication to sustaining this invaluable workforce.

CSM President Dr. Yolanda Wilson acknowledged the hard work, courage, and determination required to earn a nursing degree, and begin a career in this demanding, but rewarding field.

“You are stepping forward at a moment when nurses are needed more than ever,” Dr. Wilson said. “Through your knowledge, your compassion, and your presence, you will bring clarity, reassurance, and hope to patients and families during some of life’s most difficult moments. Thank you for answering the call and for choosing to serve with both knowledge and heart. We cannot wait to see the different you will make.”

During the ceremony, Professor Robin Madera detailed the long history of the pinning ceremony, which has been a symbolic rite of passage for nurses for more than a century. Its origins trace back to Florence Nightingale, who is recognized as the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale received the Royal Red Cross for her exceptional nursing care during the Crimean War, an honor which inspired a badge of excellence to be presented to graduates of the Nightingale School of Nursing. This badge later evolved to pins, and by the early 1900s gained national popularity.

Guest speaker retired Nursing Professor Linda Goodman spoke about the critical need for skilled nurses. She charged each graduate to keep lighting the way, like Nightingale, and never stop learning and growing in this field.  

“Nurses are the essential caregivers who provide not only clinical care but also emotional support, advocacy, and education, making them vital to the healthcare system,” Goodman said. “By investing in our workforce, we invest in healthier communities and a better global future.”

The CSM Associate Degree in Nursing accredited program prepares students to fill the critical workforce need for skilled nurses. Through comprehensive class work, and rigorous lab-work and clinical experience, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurse (RN) or Practical Nurse (PN). Additionally, CSM maintains several transfer agreements for graduates to continue on to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Amber Faasen took the podium as the selected student speaker. She recounted the long nights, difficult tests, and countless challenges it took to get here, and how this journey led to lifelong friends and the most rewarding accomplishment.

“Many of us have had challenges and setbacks along the way, but we continued to show up to class and clinical, because being with friends helped us find the resilience and grit to keep going,” Faasen said. “I feel so proud that I will be starting my career with such an amazing group of people, and the future generation of nurses.”

Newly pinned, Faasen has accepted a position as Emergency Department New Graduate Nurse at University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center.

Assistant Nursing Professor Kiley King closed the ceremony reminding the graduating class that this accomplishment is a promise to their future patients, the nursing profession, and themselves to continue ‘lighting the way.’

“You will be the ones who help someone breathe easier on their hardest day, the ones who create safety in moments of fear, the ones who bring calm to chaos and dignity to vulnerability,” King said. “You are ready. You have earned this moment. And you are exactly the kind of nurses our profession needs.” 

To learn more about pursuing a degree in nursing, visit the School of Health Sciences Nursing webpage.