Student nurses celebrate success at badging ceremony

More than 40 nursing students celebrated the end of their studies at the University of Wolverhampton with a special badging ceremony.

Funded by The Joan Argyle Shambaugh Bursary, the service at St Peter's Church in Wolverhampton, marked the end of studies for students studying mental health nursing and adult nursing at the University’s City Campus.

The ceremonies, held on March 10, featured readings, fond memories, and some personal feedback on the students from their personal tutors. All students from cohort 119 were presented with a badge to mark the occasion.

At the end of the ceremony, students also reflected on letters they wrote to themselves in their first year of study, detailing their hopes and aspirations by the time they graduated.

Kasim Bashir Raja, Lecturer in Nursing at the University of Wolverhampton said: “I would like to congratulate all our students on their achievements, hard work and dedication to nursing.

“I am extremely proud to have worked with them throughout their student journey and pleased to be here today to celebrate their success.

“The students have been fantastic in their ability to adjust and adapt to the changing climate of COVID-19 and multiple lockdowns. It has been a unique, interesting and historical journey and they should be proud of what they have achieved.

“Nursing is a demanding course wherever it is studied and requires perseverance and resilience which the students have shown day in and day out on this programme to get to this point.

“I would also like to say a very special thanks to Joan Argyle Shambaugh and her family for their support in funding the badge ceremony and for greatly appreciating the work that we do - this is dearly appreciated by the university and the nursing team.”

Cristina Wilde, mental health nursing student said: “I'm so proud to be celebrating with everyone today. It's been such a long journey, and to finally be here and to be a nurse, it's just made it all worthwhile.

“For me, it’s the fact that I'm actually going to have a career in the field I’ve always dreamed of - helping make a difference in people’s lives.”

Cristina has been successful in securing a role in Community CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) Crisis team supporting young people with mental health, emotional and psychological difficulties.

For further information about nursing, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/nursing  

Anyone looking to study at the University of Wolverhampton should register for one of our forthcoming Open Days.