Nursing students celebrate end of studies with 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 featured readings, fond memories, and some personal feedback on the students from their personal tutors with 119 students presented with a badge to mark the occasion.

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."

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

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 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Crisis team supporting young people with mental health, emotional and psychological difficulties.