A jubilant BSN Class of 2025 was joined by faculty, administrators, family and friends in the M&T Bank Arena on the York Hill Campus during a special morning of speeches, ceremony and celebration.

In his welcoming remarks, School of Nursing Dean Larry Slater, PhD, MAc, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN said the Quinnipiac School of Nursing pin is a mark of holism, excellence, and leadership that graduates will proudly wear throughout their nursing careers.

“Our programs place an emphasis on holism and are grounded in our core values of belonging, collaboration, compassion, curiosity, and integrity; providing a deep level of practical experience in the classroom, laboratory and in clinical settings, something to which all our graduates today can attest,” Slater said.

He said the school's teaching mission is led by outstanding faculty that bring decades of practical knowledge and skill to the classroom and are committed to providing students with the individual attention needed to be prepared for a successful career.

The school's administration and staff are also instrumental to the school's achievement of its vision of “…unparalleled nursing education to transform healthcare, one student at a time,” Slater said.

Slater congratulated the BSN Class of 2025 for undertaking its nursing education with courage, strength, and dedication that has been inspirational.

“Your drive and perseverance have provided a new sense of pride in our work as nurse educators, but also a sense of urgency as we continue to build on our mission of developing exceptional, practice-ready nurses who lead with expertise in science-based, holistic care; cultivated through an education that values innovation and inclusivity. We are proud of you, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for bringing joy to our work,” Slater said.

Aiyana Baker, BSN ’25 and Quinnipiac Indigenous Student Union (ISU) president, helped to open the Pinning Ceremony with a Land Acknowledgement.

Baker, a Mohegan tribe member, thanked the School of Nursing and faculty for the opportunity to give the land acknowledgement and for supporting and encouraging her in her nursing career and in integrating her heritage into her practices.

“In my culture, it is important to take the time to acknowledge the land that we are standing on and to recognize those who calls this their ancestral homelands. So, I ask that today you will join me in recognizing the land of Qunutukut, now known as Connecticut, and the Quinnipiac people,” Baker said.

In the spirit of connection to the land with a concept of belonging, Baker emphasized the BSN Class of 2025 belongs to the land, as well.

“Allow the land of Quinnipiac to be your sense of rootedness and where you began your journey,” Baker said. “When you begin to feel lost, remember what you planted here, allowing you to grow into the nurse that you will soon be. Let it keep you centered as the trail of life does; and when faced with challenges, feel the support that it and the spirits give. As healers, we offer the gifts of giving and selflessness, so be sure to keep that close, as it is a beautiful gift.”

Director of Undergraduate Nursing Programs Tyler Traister DNP, RN, CNE, NE-BC, OCN, CTN-A, NPD-BC, MEDSURG-BC, shared the history of the Quinnipiac School of Nursing pin. The blue and gold pin represents professional achievement and signifies each graduates’ connection to their Quinnipiac nursing education.

Traister said the tradition of the pinning ceremony honors the completion of the BSN Class of 2025’s academic journey, as well as acknowledging this remarkable cohort’s shared experiences, challenges they overcame, and their unwavering pursuit of knowledge in classrooms and clinical settings.

Alexandra Ford, ’19, MS ’23, DNP ’25, ARPN, FNP-C, gave the keynote address.

“Six years ago, I was sitting in your seat, an eager Quinnipiac nursing graduate, excited, anxious, and wondering how four years had flown by so fast. I remember looking ahead, hopeful but unsure, imagining what kind of nurse I'd become,” Ford said.

Ford said she was honored to have the extraordinary opportunity to speak to the Class of 2025 as her younger self, to reflect on the journey, and offer lessons she’s learned.

One of her lessons was, “It's not just who you know – it’s who knows you.” The phrase helped to describe Ford’s remarkable success in her nursing journey to date. One milestone took place in 2018, when, as a junior nursing student, Ford became the first Quinnipiac Flynn Fellow; a pediatric oncology internship.

“That summer, I created a patient education project that went on to win the Elizabeth McGann Research Award from Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. I stayed connected to Mr. Flynn for years afterward, volunteering, mentoring, helping however I could,” said Ford. “In 2023, five years later, that investment came back tenfold: I was awarded a full-ride scholarship through the Jonas-Flynn Scholar Program to pursue my doctorate in nursing practice. I will graduate alongside all of you tomorrow as Dr. Ford, something my younger self only dreamed of. Never underestimate the power of planting seeds. Even when you don't see immediate results, know that you're building something meaningful. Be patient. Be generous. It will come back.”

Ford also said life will bring uncertainty, but the BSN Class of 2025 is incredibly lucky to hold two unshakable truths: they will always be nurses; and they will always be Quinnipiac Bobcats.

“If you remember nothing else, remember this: lead with heart, listen with intention, give without keeping score, and never let the word ‘never’ define you; because the nurse your younger self dreamed of becoming is already here, and the world has only just met them,” said Ford. “This degree, this pin, this moment; it isn't the finish line. It's the ignition. You are the nurse the world needs next. And if you ever forget that, just speak to your younger self. She or he will remind you how far you've come, and just how far you're about to go.”

School of Nursing Director of Community Engagement and Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing Pina Violano said she was proud to serve as Ford’s project chair for her DNP. On May 9, Violano also celebrated five members of the BSN Class of 2025 earning the school’s first Community Engagement microcredential distinction. The program, created on July 1, 2024, is specific to the School of Nursing.

In her Student Address, Lauren Auteri, BSN ’25, celebrated with her class as they gathered to honor a journey completed.

“We've been learning how to be nurses not only through textbooks and lectures, but also through each and every clinical rotation, every care plan, every long exhausting hour spent studying,” Auteri said. “But beyond the charts and checklists, we've discovered something that can't be taught -- empathy. A long time ago, a seed was planted into our hearts, and over time, it grew roots leading us to the calling of becoming a nurse. It's nearly impossible to teach someone what's in their heart within the four walls of these Quinnipiac classrooms.”

On behalf of her peers, Auteri thanked the professors, clinical instructors and mentors who shaped the BSN Class of 2025 into the nurses they will become, and “…for believing in the nurse in each of us before we could see it ourselves.”

“Let us not forget that we didn’t come to Quinnipiac to become nurses -- we came to Quinnipiac to be great nurses. And now, as we step into the world as nurses, I leave you with this charge: be a blessing,” Auteri said. “Because nursing is more than a profession; it’s a calling. So go forth with courage, humility, and grace. And above all, be a blessing to every soul you encounter.”

The ceremony also recognized several members of the BSN Class of 2025 with special awards and acknowledgements.

Abigail Crowell, BSN ’25, received both The Daisy Award and The School of Nursing Value Award for Collaboration. Chloe Doehler, BSN ’25, received the Benjamin T. and Juliette Adelle Trewin Award for Professional Leadership in Nursing. Kaylee Gates, BSN ’25, received the Benjamin T. and Juliette Adelle Trewin Award for Academic Excellence in Nursing; the Alumni Association Academic Achievement Award; and the President’s Scholarship Award. Tessa Foley, BSN ’25, earned the Holistic Nursing Practice Award. The School of Nursing Value Award for Curiosity was given to Joseph Doria, BSN ‘25, Derek Petrucci, BSN ’25, and Matthew Goldman, BSN ’25. Goldman also received the School of Nursing Compassion Value Award.