PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Maine Community College honored its nursing Class of 2025 during a heartfelt pinning ceremony held on campus, recognizing the achievements and commitment of 16 graduating nursing students as they prepared to enter the profession.
The ceremony began with a processional, followed by a welcome from Andrew Gagnon, RN, MSN, CCRN, NR-P, CHSE, department chair of Nursing, EMS, and Allied Health. Gagnon also delivered opening remarks before Academic Dean Angela R. Buck addressed the audience.
Members of the nursing faculty in attendance included Kacey Hammond, Jessica Lahey, Jemelie McCorison, Angela Seldomridge, Michelle Soucy, Heather Bresett, Miranda Carney, Terry Caron, Sara Carr, Angela Davis and Allison Folsom. They were joined by Gagnon, who led the proceedings.
The pinning ceremony, a longstanding nursing tradition, symbolizes the transition from student to professional nurse and honors the dedication, compassion and skill required in the field. In one of the most meaningful moments of the event, each student was pinned by a loved one — often a parent, partner, spouse, mentor or, in some cases, their own child — highlighting the deep personal connections and support systems that helped each graduate reach this milestone.
Gagnon surprised long-standing faculty member Eileen McDougal with a special acknowledgement after she stepped back from her retirement last year to fill the interim academic dean position. McDougal will retire this summer, with this pinning ceremony marking nearly four decades at the college. Her portrait will be added to the NMCC’s Nursing Simulation Center Wall of Distinction.
The guest speaker was Hammond, RN, MSN-Ed, a member of NMCC’s nursing faculty. Chosen by the students to deliver the keynote address, Hammond highlighted the personal qualities each graduate brings to the profession — qualities like compassion, resilience, curiosity and calm under pressure.
“Don’t lose those parts of you that make you who you are,” Hammond said. “I am very proud to have been a part of your journey here.”
One of the evening’s highlights came from nursing graduate Trinity Saucier-Pellicer, who addressed the crowd on behalf of the Class of 2025. Saucier-Pellicer thanked faculty for their guidance and expressed gratitude to family and friends for their support throughout the program. “For guiding us, pushing us, and believing in us — even when we didn’t believe in ourselves. Your dedication and passion has helped shape us into the nurses we are becoming,” she said. She also reflected on the strength of her classmates, adding, “To witness my classmates achieve this accomplishment has been truly inspiring.”
She closed with, “If I had to describe this class in just two words, they would be perseverance and integrity. That’s exactly what we embodied throughout this journey.”
Lahey offered the Nurses’ Blessing, and in a powerful and symbolic moment, graduates recited the Florence Nightingale Pledge while holding their lanterns — evoking the spirit of Nightingale’s legacy and their commitment to compassionate, ethical care.
Pins were presented to the following members of the Class of 2025: Sheridan Barrows, Logan Bernier, Storm Bonato, Emily Davenport, Grace Flewelling, Tori Kazoroski, Kailey McKenney, Abram Nason, Hannah Pierce, Kayla Pinette, Jordon Sandstrom, Trinity Saucier-Pellicer, Josh White, Karla Williams and Kayla Williams.
This year’s Nursing Pinning Ceremony held special significance as it marked the first pinning ceremony attended by new NMCC President Doug Binsfeld. Also in attendance was Trustee Joyce Maker of the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees.
The ceremony concluded with a student slideshow and a recessional. Michelle Soucy, Nursing Level II Coordinator, offered closing remarks.
For more information about NMCC and its programs, visit nmcc.edu.
