UK College of Nursing Celebrates Class of Spring 2022
The University of Kentucky College of Nursing celebrated its Class of Spring 2022 with special Pinning and Hooding graduation ceremonies on May 6, 2022, at the Singletary Center for the Arts.
The College's Pinning ceremony is a time-honored tradition where each BSN graduate is pinned with a UK College of Nursing boomerang pin. The pin symbolizes that the graduate has earned the privilege to practice nursing and makes a promise to the public to always offer safe, quality care. The boomerang symbol was first adopted by the College of Nursing in 1964 and was inspired by the Sculpture of Duality, which resembles a boomerang, and originally stood in front of UK's medical center. At the ceremony, Dr. Janie Heath, the fifth dean of the College of Nursing, described the boomerang's symbolism as "soaring high with excellence and staying grounded with values."
The Hooding ceremony is equally as significant for graduates of the College’s Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing programs. The Spring 2022 Hooding ceremony, in fact, included graduates of the College’s first MSN cohort since relaunching the advanced degree program in 2019.
The Spring 2022 Pinning and Hooding ceremonies also marked the final time Dean Heath would participate in graduation events, as she will be retiring later in 2022. To honor this day and Dean Heath’s distinguished tenure, Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton made a surprise announcement during Pinning, proclaiming May 6, 2022 as “Janie Heath Day” in the city Lexington.
Congratulations to all of the UK College of Nursing's Spring 2022 graduates!
Below are photos from both events.
