Milestone Events
Some of the most exciting and rewarding events outside of the classroom and clinical experiences are the milestone occasions that take place at GW Nursing. Each marks a special accomplishment where students are recognized for their scholarly achievements, as well as their dedication to the nursing profession.
Featured Milestones
Graduation Celebration
GW Nursing hosts a graduation ceremony for our nursing graduates at the end of each Spring semester. This intimate ceremony, presided over by the dean, brings together our nationwide community of students, faculty, and staff. Graduates will hear from leading speakers while celebrating their success in education and the next step in their careers.
University Commencement
Commencement is a hallmark event for all community members. While each school holds its own Graduation Celebration, University Commencement on the National Mall includes graduates from ALL degree levels and schools. Graduating students will take the first step of their lifelong journey as GW alumni with the nation’s most recognizable landmarks and monuments serving as a backdrop.
Pinning Ceremony
The Pinning Ceremony is a special event that marks the transition of our GW Nursing graduates into the nursing profession and is usually held at the end of summer and fall semesters. During the ceremony, professors and mentors present each new nurse with a ceremonial pin, that displays the university they graduated from. Additionally, the nurses take the Nightingale Pledge, which is named after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. This is a proud moment for our graduates as they pledge to serve and uphold the high ideals of the nursing profession.
White Coat Ceremony
The White Coat Ceremony is an honored tradition that welcomes students to the health care profession and emphasizes the importance of humanism as the foundation of health care. It highlights the significance of combining scientific excellence with compassion and is regarded as a significant milestone in the journey toward a career in health care.
BSN Cohort Reception
The BSN Cohort Reception is a celebratory event following the last class of a given cohort. Graduating BSN students, as well as faculty and staff, come together to commemorate the achievements of the cohort. Along with words from the dean, distinguished alumni, and cohort representatives, this event typically features the unveiling of the cohort's composite photo.
BSN Poster Presentation
To prepare our undergraduate students for the rigors of further academic study, we require BSN students to create and present an academic research poster before the end of their time in the program. Students present their findings in a setting similar to what they might encounter when presenting at a conference.
DNP Project Poster Day
As the culmination of their time in our DNP program, GW Nursing doctoral candidates are required to take part in DNP Project Poster Day. For this event, students create and present an academic poster to be shared with their peers and professors.
Sigma Theta Tau Inductions
Students meeting the criteria for inclusion in Phi Epsilon, GW Nursing's chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau, will be formally invited to join and participate in an induction ceremony welcoming them to an internationally recognized nursing honor society.