Nursing graduates receive their pins at ceremony

The 2015 graduates of the nursing program at Montana State University-Northern crowded with their friends and family into the 5th Avenue Christian Church for the annual nursing pinning ceremony.

At the pinning ceremony, each graduate was given a pin to commemorate the hard work and time they have put into acquiring their degrees.

Current nursing program director Janice Starr, former nursing program director Lisa O'Neil and guest speaker Raeanne Wall spoke at the ceremony to the future nurses.

Each student named a person or persons in their life to give them their pins and for them to give flowers to in token of their appreciation for their loved ones' help and patients.

"Thank you to each family member and friends," said class president Ashley Markle. " ... Thank you for standing beside us and picking us up."

She spoke to the class of their determinations.

"Congratulations to each and every one of you for standing it out and not giving up," Markle said, "despite the difficulties, the unknowns and the changes our program has gone through. It's my belief that we not only survived, but we gained the ability and the knowledge to be great nurses."