Marking the rite of passage of 40 nursing graduates, the LAU Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing (ARCSON) held the annual Recognition and Pinning Ceremony—a time-honored tradition that celebrates the transition of nursing students into the profession—on June 2, 2025, at the Byblos campus.

In attendance were the keynote speaker, Director of the Primary Healthcare and Social Health Department and Manager of the Immunization and Essential Drugs Program at the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health Randa Hamadeh, President of the Order of Nurses Abir Alameh, former LAU trustee Mona Nehmé, LAU President Chaouki T. Abdallah, Provost George E. Nasr, Chief of Staff Nour Hajjar, as well as deans, assistant vice presidents, faculty, and staff, who were joined by jubilant parents and friends of the graduates.

President Abdallah touched on the critical role of the young nurses in helping to rebuild Lebanon’s healthcare system. “You are dedicated servants whose impact will go beyond the bedside because as nurses you are also advocates for patients and for better care,” he said, adding: “Whether you work at a hospital, a community clinic, in the ministry or in a refugee camp: your voice matters and I hope that you will use it to help the less fortunate.”

This role entails additional responsibilities as the fast-changing facets of nursing bring along new challenges, said ARCSON Dean Costantine Daher. “The need for dedicated, knowledgeable and resilient nurses has never been greater. Be agents of change, voices of advocacy and lifelong learners,” he advised the graduating class.

This year, as Program Director Bahia Abdallah pointed out, the theme of the International Council of Nurses is: “Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for Nurses Strengthens Economies.” Noting the timeliness of this message, “it reminds us that while nurses are always there to care for others, healthcare systems must also care for nurses,” she said, asserting that “when nurses are protected, educated, and supported, they don’t just survive, they lead, innovate and elevate healthcare at every level.”

Reflecting on the story of a nurse from her hometown, Baakline, Dr. Hamadeh stressed the crucial role that nurses play in bolstering community health. The nurse, she said, had been a trusted focal point for her patients and beyond and understood her calling not only as a service, but as a relationship between public health and the community.

She urged the graduates to view their roles not only as skilled professionals but also “as agents of change in a world where health is no longer only about illness but climate change, displacement, equity and resilience, and at every intersection of those challenges we need you.”

Illustrating this thought, class speaker Maria Abou Nader characterized her university experience as a “test of endurance,” where she and her classmates learned in the heat of crises as first responders.

“Others might associate nursing school with the stress of clinical training and long hours of studying, but we faced something far more profound: war. While the air was thick with uncertainty, we chose to stay present, stood firm and stepped forward, not away, because that is what nurses do,” she said.

Following their pinning, the graduates took the Nightingale Pledge, the professional oath for nursing. The ceremony also featured two faculty rewards as follows:

• Clinical Assistant Professor Maha Habre received the Teaching Excellence Award in recognition of her innovative teaching, passion and tireless efforts to uphold the highest standards in nursing.
• Clinical Instructor Badih Geha received the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award for his professionalism, commitment, mentorship and ability to inspire.

Graduating and current students were also recognized with Dean’s Awards as follows:

• Dean’s Award for Clinical Excellence: Nicole Gebran, a BSN II student, and Nariman Kubaisa, a BSN III student.
• Dean’s Award for Community Service: Abdelsalam Balawi and Raghad Mrad, both BSN III students.
• Dean’s Award for Academic Achievement and Peer Mentorship: Ghida Toutounji, a BSN II student, and Arwa Darwish, a BSN III student.
• Dean’s Research Award for a Graduating Student: Wael El Chaar.

Student Maya Serhan was also recognized at the ceremony for having received the Beirut Lions Club Award at a ceremony held by the club on May 28, 2025. The award is presented every year to a nursing student who embodies leadership qualities in their university and community.