<p><strong>COLUMBIA —</strong> Columbia State Community College celebrated 40 nursing graduates in a pinning ceremony at Webster Athletic Center, welcoming them into the profession as registered nurses following completion of their Associate of Applied Science degree.</p><p>The graduates completed four semesters of classroom instruction and 540 hours of clinical training before reciting the Nightingale Pledge as part of the ceremony. According to Dr. Loretta Bond, Columbia State nursing program director, the occasion honored "their hard work" and marked "a wonderful way to welcome our graduates into the nursing profession." The most recent data show Columbia State nursing graduates achieved a 98 percent first-attempt pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination in 2024, significantly outpacing the national average of 90.8 percent for associate degree nursing programs.</p><p>Graduates are prepared to provide patient care in multiple settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, schools, and home health agencies across medical, surgical, pediatric, and other specialties.</p>