The Citadel’s first class of nursing students will accept their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees during commencement ceremonies on May 4, 2019. The group of 20 evening undergraduates, and one cadet nursing student, will share the honor of making history for the college as the inaugural nursing class.

Before graduating, they will take part in the college’s first Nurse Pinning Ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on Thurs., May 2, in Buyer Auditorium. The ceremony is a long standing tradition in the nursing industry and represents a symbolic welcoming of new nurses into the profession.

Many in the class already have already accepted jobs. Others have secured positions for the next step in their educational careers. All 21 are committed to dedicating their futures to improving the health of others through caring and expertise, taking The Citadel’s core values of honor, duty and respect with them.

The South Carolina Board of Nursing approved The Citadel’s new program in the fall of 2016. First, the evening undergraduate nursing students (non-cadet) began taking classes in the summer of 2017 through the 2 + 2 program. The evening nursing students earn their required general education and prerequisite courses at a other institutions, most often a community college, then complete their nursing degree at The Citadel.

The first class of cadet nursing students began their four years of study in the fall of 2017. This traditional four-year baccalaureate program is available to students in the Corps of Cadets, as well as veteran students.

The mission of the Swain Department of Nursing is to educate and develop cadets and students to become principled leaders in the healthcare environment and profession of nursing by incorporating The Citadel’s core values of honor, duty, and respect into the learning experience. The program was made possible through the vision and generosity of the Swain family, after whom the department and the Swain School of Science and Mathematics are named.

The curriculum follows guidelines developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in The Essentials for Baccalaureate Nursing Education and incorporates competencies from the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses initiative.

For more information, or to apply to study nursing at The Citadel, please email [email protected] or call (843)953-1630.