ETBU Nursing Students Commissioned During Lighting the Lamp Ceremony

The nursing faculty of East Texas Baptist University surrounds nursing students as they pray for them. The Department of Nursing held its first Lighting the Lamp Ceremony on Monday to commission level one junior students into their study of professional nursing. PHOTO: ETBU/Mike Midkiff.

The first Lighting the Lamp Ceremony

The first Lighting the Lamp Ceremony was held today at East Texas Baptist University for nursing students. The ceremony, held in the Edwards Conference Room of the Ornelas Spiritual Life Center, commissioned level one junior students into their study of professional nursing.

“This ceremony will now be held at the beginning of each academic year and will set the stage for the transition of these students from pre-nursing to professional nursing students,” said Dr. Ellen Fineout-Overholt, ETBU Dean of the Groner School of Professional Studies and Chair of Nursing.

Each level one student was recognized personally during the ceremony and given a small elephant to remind them of the importance of engaging their learning as they would eat a chocolate elephant- one bite at a time. The ceremony concluded with the nursing faculty gathering around the cohort of students to, pray over them and their choice of nursing as a profession.

Dr. Fineout-Overholt reminded those gathered that Florence Nightingale, the “mother of nursing,” was called the Lady with the Lamp. “We, in ETBU Nursing, are engaging our students in developing their light both for Christ and for Nursing,” said the new dean who began her tenure at ETBU on August 1. “Florence considered her work a calling and this ceremony is to formalize the preparation portion of your calling. We will formalize your full engagement in the profession at the pinning ceremony at graduation.”

The initial year

Since this was the initial year, Level III students, which are seniors, had a different commission ceremony. “The senior’s commission is a bit different in that it is not only to engage their learning in the same way, but also to mentor and encourage level one students,” said Dr. Fineout-Overholt.

ETBU began its nursing program in 1992. New dean Dr. Fineout-Overholt, came to ETBU from Arizona State University, where she served as Clinical Professor and Director for the Center for Advancement of Evidence-Based Practice. Earlier in the day, she delivered her first Dean’s message to students, faculty, and staff of the Groner School of Professional Studies.

"The senior’s commission is a bit different in that it is not only to engage their learning in the same way, but also to mentor and encourage level one students"

The ETBU Department of Nursing is accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Board of Nursing for the State of Texas. Over 90% of ETBU nursing graduates secure employment before graduation. The program has maintained a nursing licensure pass rate of 100% for the past three years. Recently, the program received a $50,000 grant award from the Butterfield Memorial Foundation for student scholarships. For information about the ETBU Department of Nursing, call 903-923-2210.

ETBU has offered a quality Christ-centered education since 1912.