June 2, 2026
Four years of studying, lab work, and test-taking reached a culmination on May 18 when members of the first cohort of St. John’s University’s new nursing program received their graduation “pins,” symbolic of their completion of undergraduate studies and readiness for careers as professional nurses.
The pinning ceremony, held in the D’Angelo Center Ballroom and attended by faculty and administration of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS) and friends and family of the graduates, came one day after students received their diplomas at the University’s annual Commencement. Student speaker Emma DerGarabedian ’25CPHS called on her classmates to remember the powerful voice they have as nurses and to use it in support of their patients.
“This year has been recognized by the American Nurses Association as the Year of the Power of Nurses,” Ms. DerGarabedian said. “That is an indication of the role nurses play in transforming, innovating, and leading in health care. My hope is that we take everything we have learned—our strength, our compassion, our resilience—and carry it into every patient room, every conversation, and every moment of care.”
According to Cathleen A. Murphy D.C., Associate Dean for Health Sciences Programs at CPHS, pinning ceremonies are unique to nursing and date back to the 1850s, when Florence Nightingale was decorated with a pin by British Queen Victoria for her work treating injured soldiers during the Crimean War.
For years, the ceremony has reinforced the values of nursing, including education, compassion, integrity, and human dignity. The graduates articulated those values in reciting the Florence Nightingale Pledge at the conclusion of the ceremony.
“Being with the same 25 students for four years, the same faces every day, we were able to build a bond that is unbreakable,” said Timothy Kandasami ’25CPHS. “Coming into this program as the first class, there was no script. We were figuring things out as we went along. But we did.”
“This moment means a lot to all of us,” added Joel Kim ’25CPHS. “There were expectations, but you really did not know what we were getting into since it was the first cohort. We persevered and made special relationships in the process.”
All 25 members of the cohort attended the event. Following welcome remarks from Ms. Murphy and Catherine R. Bell, DNP, R.N., Associate Professor and Industry Professional, Department of Nursing; and a keynote address from Diane Llerqandi ’01CPS, R.N., M.A., Quality and Safety Manager, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, each graduate was called by name to receive their pins. Cheers and applause cascaded around the ballroom with each name called.
“It was a hard program, a lot of sleepless nights,” Chieloka Onah said. “We stayed up late to keep up with everything. At the end of the day, it was worthwhile; to have this pin on me feels amazing.”
Members of the initial cohort are part of a reimagined nursing tradition at St. John’s. In 1937, a Department of Nursing was formed within The School of Education. The department became a separate School of Nursing Education in 1942, helping to train nurses during World War II. In 1958, the school was again made a department of The School of Education, before being discontinued in 1966.
Graduates of the first cohort are the first to be awarded St. John’s nursing degrees in 60 years, a point reinforced by Katie Boston-Leary, M.A., M.H.A., Ph.D, R.N., Vice President of Equity and Engagement at the American Nurses Association, in an inspirational address that welcomed the graduates into the profession.
“It has been 60 years since the last graduates came through these doors,” Ms. Boston-Leary said. “You are evidence that perseverance matters. I want to thank you for being part of the best profession.”
Ms. Boston-Leary then presented each graduate with a unique, hand-written inspirational message, reminding them of their place in St. John’s history and the responsibility they have to guide future nursing students. Of course, the graduates already knew that.
“As members of the first class, we will always feel like mentors to those who follow us,” Anya Jiminez ’25CPHS said. “Hopefully, we can inspire and empower future students.”
Simon G. Møller, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, thanked the graduates for considering St. John’s four years ago, when the program was in its infancy, and the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center was, in Dr. Møller’s words “but a hole in the ground.” The center, which opened in September 2024, became the state-of-the-art home of nursing and other programs.
“When you committed to St. John's, you put a lot of faith in us; we were figuring things out together,” Dr. Møller said. “My hope is that you will take the essential values that have been instilled in you and approach your patients through that lens.”
CPHS Dean Anne Y. F. Lin ’84P, ’86Pharm.D., FNAP, reminded the graduates that nursing education does not end at graduation. “Nursing demands intellectual curiosity, humility, a lifelong commitment to growth, and a willingness to work with other members of the health-care industry,” Dean Lin said. “I challenge you to be more than excellent—to be a force for good, to take action, lead with purpose, lift others up, and give back.”