For the Tomahawk Leader
RHINELANDER – The time-honored Nurse Pinning Ceremony took place recently at Nicolet College as 26 students, including two from Tomahawk, completed the rigorous Associate Degree Nursing program at the college and were welcomed into the nursing profession.
The history of this symbol of service to others can be traced back 10 centuries to when monks tended to the injured fighting in the Crusades. The modern ceremony dates back to the 1860s when Florence Nightingale began presenting medals of excellence to her students. Over the years this evolved into what is now the Pinning Ceremony which is a traditional rite of passage for nurses.
The ceremony this year at Nicolet had to be modified in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of sitting side by side in a large group, students remained in their cars and listened to faculty as the instructors addressed the graduates. Nicolet also live-streamed the event over Facebook for families and friends who could not attend the event due to restrictions.
Jenna Cottrell and Danielle Riebe, both of Tomahawk, were among students who finished Nicolet’s Associate Degree Nursing program this spring and received pins.
Joining Cottrell and Riebe were Kristin Washatko, Antigo; Andrea Anderson and Danielle Smith, both of Crandon; Erica Haubert, Catawba; Kaylee Babich and Angelica Lemerande, both of Laona; Callie Baldridge, Dominica Grmick, and Ramsey Nowak, all of Eagle River; Rebecca Snider and Katie Behn, both of Minocqua; Lydia Black, Pelican Lake; Rachel Bauer, Kayla Gebert, Tiffany Hauser, Kelly Hofstetter Helgeson, LisaMarie Zarda, Kaitlyn Juedes, Jennifer Polinski, Kayla Schilleman, and Kassie Vassar, all of Rhinelander; Ryan Bresnahan, Karly Steinhage and Laura Uhlig, all of Woodruff.
Students and staff also extended their thanks to Temel Yasar of Soft Light Photography for volunteering his time at no cost to take pictures of individual students and their families.