On Friday, December 19, 2025, the University of North Dakota College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines will pin 62 Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates during a ceremonial event at the Memorial Union Ballroom in Grand Forks. This ritual marks their formal entry into the profession, symbolizing a commitment to care rooted in centuries-old traditions. The ceremony, available via Zoom, underscores nursing's enduring role amid growing national demand for skilled practitioners.
A Storied Symbol of Service
The gold pin featuring a green Maltese Cross traces its origins to 1951, when seven of the first nine graduates from UND's Division of Nursing designed it. They chose green to match the university's colors and selected the Maltese Cross, emblem of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, who pioneered care for the sick in the late 1500s after relocating to Malta. This cross now stands for nursing's core values of health and compassion.
Over decades, the pin evolved with institutional changes. In 1959, inscriptions shifted from "School of Nursing" to "College of Nursing." The 2012 addition of Social Work and Nutrition and Dietetics prompted a name change to College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines, approved by the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education. By spring 2014, the design read "UND Nursing," reflecting the department's place within the expanded college.
Ceremony Honors New Nurses
Dean Maridee Shogren will deliver the welcome and present the pins, with Semester 3 student Caroline Bodine announcing recipients. Travel ER nurse and Medical Service Officer Mallory Kostelecky offers the keynote, while Assistant Director Tracy Bergum serves as master of ceremonies. Clinical Associate Professor Stephanie Christian provides closing remarks, and BSN, RN Chantel Vazquez reads the UND Land Acknowledgement.
The 62 graduates include Reece Anderson, Hannah Balzum, Arwyn Berke, and dozens more, representing diverse backgrounds ready to address healthcare needs. This cohort enters a field where registered nurses remain essential, particularly in rural areas like North Dakota, where access challenges persist.
Enduring Relevance in Modern Healthcare
Pinning ceremonies like UND's connect new nurses to a lineage of service, fostering resilience in a profession facing workforce shortages and evolving demands. The ritual reinforces professional identity at a time when nurses lead in emergency response, chronic care, and community health. As these graduates don the pin, they carry forward a legacy adapted to contemporary realities, from travel nursing to interdisciplinary collaboration.
