EK
Erica Klein
  • Nursing
  • Class of 2014
  • Glendora, NJ

ERICA KLEIN of Glendora Participated in a Traditional Nightingale Ceremony at Widener University

2014 May 28

ERICA KLEIN of Glendora , NJ graduated from Widener University's School of Nursing on May 17. On Friday, May 16 students participated in a Nightingale Ceremony, a traditional pinning ceremony for graduating nursing students, reflecting the values and traditions of the profession.

While holding a lit candle to honor the late Florence Nightingale, who made late night, solitary rounds in a Crimean military hospital to care for wounded soldiers by candlelight, all students will recite the Nightingale Pledge, written by the International Council of Nurses, and vow to uphold the integrity of the profession. The burning candle flame symbolizes the human spirit that is at the core of healing both now and back then.

Alumnus Captain Lee Anne Brighton Powell, '81, was the keynote speaker at the ceremony this year. Powell has a passion for advocating for patients and families who are attempting to navigate through the complex healthcare system and enable them to receive the services needed in a timely manner.

Widener University is a private, metropolitan university that connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention, leadership development, and experiential learning are key components of the Widener experience. A comprehensive doctorate-granting university, Widener is comprised of eight schools and colleges that offer liberal arts and sciences and professional and pre-professional curricula leading to associate's, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees. The university's campuses in Chester, Exton, and Harrisburg, PA, and Wilmington, DE, serve approximately 6,300 students. Widener is proud to be a tobacco-free university. Visit the university's website, www.widener.edu, for more information.