Ceremony Recognizes Milestone for Student Nurses

On January 19, 2011, the St. Joseph School of Nursing held a traditional capping ceremony to recognize 38 students who have completed the first half of their freshman year. Male nurses receive a Caduceus pin, rather than a cap. At the ceremony, second year students are recognized with one blue stripe for their caps and male students receive a first blue bar. Third year female students are recognized with a second blue stripe, while the male students receive a second blue bar. Thirty-six junior students and nineteen senior students received stripes or blue bars. The ceremonial lighting of candles, reading of the Nightingale Pledge, and the hymn: "Prayer of St. Francis", the school song, concluded the ceremony.

"This ceremony is dedicated to recognizing milestones in students' growth as nurses," said David Becker, MS, RN, CNE, Director of the School of Nursing.

The class of 1965 researched the history of the cap and shared the following details: "The St. Joseph cap is surrounded by a legend that depicts the close ties nursing has with the guiding light of our lives - The Blessed Trinity. According to the legend, the three points of our cap represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The back of the cap is worn with the right flap overlapping the left to symbolize right over wrong. The wings of the cap, so frequently worn pinned back are more properly worn spread wide, as a symbol of the dove of the Holy Spirit which every nurse must carry in her heart, as well as symbolically on her head."

The capping ceremony was held at St. Philip's Church in Greenville. Father John J. Rainone, BA, MDIV officiated and Mrs. Joan Hilton, MSN, RN, a recently retired Level I instructor, delivered the welcome address. The ceremony was well-attended by family, friends and colleagues. Congratulations to all who took part in the ceremony.