POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — The Armstrong McDonald School of Nursing (AMSON) at College of the Ozarks will hold its 14th Annual Pinning and Blessing Ceremony on Friday, May 5, at 5 p.m. in Williams Memorial Chapel.

Class of 2023 graduates, nursing faculty, and family members/guests of the graduates are able to attend in person.

Allison Press Buesking, RN, BSN, and AMSON class of 2012, will be the keynote speaker for the event. A reception for the graduates and their families will be held afterwards.

At the ceremony, 17 students will receive a specifically designed pin that reflects the program’s five main pursuits of truth, character, critical thinking, the tenets of Florence Nightingale, and creating a nourishing environment.

Dr. Janice Williams, nursing program director, has expressed how impactful this ceremony will be and how proud she is of her students.

“The purpose of the Pinning and Blessing Ceremony is to celebrate the nursing graduates’ accomplishments and commission them for future service to the profession,” Williams said. “The ceremony signifies the completion of a rigorous education process and also a farewell to faculty and friends with whom they have shared the process. The nursing pin communicates the wearer’s earned right to the title of nurse and provides a tangible link to the source of their education. It has been one symbol of our service as nurses to others for over 1,000 years.

“The nursing pin reflects the AMSON’s mission and philosophy which is a direct reflection of the College’s mission and goals. The faculty and staff, along with our community, offer our sincere congratulations for the perseverance and compassionate work of this graduating class who finished their degree and served their patients well during a pandemic. They are inheriting and contributing to a legacy of excellence,” Williams said.

The Armstrong McDonald School of Nursing graduated its 13th class in May 2022. One hundred percent of graduates secured employment in nursing prior to graduation.