The Pinning Ceremony occurs at the end of a student’s program in a school of nursing and signifies the completion of this level of education and official initiation into the profession. The Pinning Ceremony is modeled from the ceremony in the 1860’s when Florence Nightingale was awarded the Red Cross of St. George in recognition for her service during the Crimean War. During the pinning ceremony faculty officially ‘pin’ students by placing a ribbon or pin on their lapel and offer words of congratulations.