Mid-State Technical College Recognizes Nursing Graduates

Wisconsin Rapids, WI (WFHR, WIRI)

Mid-State Technical College recognized the achievements of its 37 Nursing program completers in a pinning ceremony Dec. 17 on the Wisconsin Rapids Campus. Graduates were joined by their family and friends in the celebration.

Mid-State Technical College Nursing program graduate Lucy Bootz receives her nursing pin from Mid-State Nursing instructor Sandra Dieck during the College’s pinning ceremony on the Wisconsin Rapids Campus, Dec. 17.

The nursing pinning ceremony is a celebratory endcap to a nursing student’s academic journey and a bridge between nursing school and a nursing career. It honors and celebrates nursing students and their path to becoming a nurse. It is also a day of celebration for the nursing faculty who have helped the students reach their goals.

December 2024 Nursing graduate, Chiaki Friemoth of Neillsville, considers the nursing pinning ceremony to be a pivotal moment in the nursing journey. “It recognizes our hard work, perseverance, sacrifices and everything in between to get to where we are today,” she said. After graduation, Friemoth will begin Marshfield Clinic’s Emergency Department (ED) Critical Care Nurse Residency Program in Marshfield.

“I found out about Mid-State’s Nursing program’s stellar reputation before I started, so I was glad I made the right decision,” Friemoth added.

Mid-State’s fall 2024 Nursing graduates in the days leading up to their Dec. 14 graduation and Dec. 17 pinning ceremony on the College’s Wisconsin Rapids Campus.

For Mid-State’s pinning ceremony, each graduating student selects a registered nurse who is a family member, friend or faculty member to join them on stage to place the nursing pin on the graduate during the ceremony, welcoming them into the profession of nursing.

“I am incredibly proud of our Nursing graduates,” said Deb Johnson-Schuh, dean of the School of Nursing. “The pinning ceremony marks not just the culmination of hard work, but the beginning of a lifelong commitment to caring for others. The journey to becoming a nurse is driven by passion and a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families.”

“Our community needs more nurses—those who are not only prepared with the knowledge and expertise but who also embody the heart and empathy required to provide exceptional care,” added Johnson-Schuh. “I have no doubt this group of graduates will rise to meet this critical need and make an enduring impact in healthcare.”