NIC celebrates 48 nursing graduates

North Idaho College celebrated the graduation of 48 students from the NIC Nursing program in a pinning ceremony Dec. 14 in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center on NIC’s Coeur d’Alene campus. 

Friends and family packed the auditorium to congratulate the graduates for their academic achievements and perseverance throughout the program.

Speakers included NIC President Nick Swayne, NIC Associate Dean of Nursing and Health Professions Erlene Pickett, and NIC Adjunct Nursing Professor Nicholas Pelletier, all of whom commended the graduates for their years of hard work and dedication.

“The path to becoming a nurse is demanding,” NIC Associate Dean of Nursing and Health Professions Erlene Pickett said. “It’s filled with challenges that test your knowledge and your character. Yet here you are at the precipice of a new chapter, ready to take on the responsibilities and privileges that come with the title of a nurse."

The nursing profession has faced an unprecedented shortage since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers told students that because of the shortage, they faced a path filled with unique and challenging experiences and that if they could get through nursing school, they could get through anything.

“The pinning ceremony is a testament to resilience and determination,” Swayne said. “This is a tough program. Nursing is a calling that requires not just knowledge and skill but also a heart full of empathy and hands ready to help.”