2026 Graduate Entry Pinning and White Coat Ceremony

Friday, Feb. 13, 2026
4 to 5 p.m.
The Fawcett Event Center, Conference Theater
2400 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43210

The Graduate Entry Pinning and White Coat Ceremony is a formal celebration of the successful completion of prelicensure coursework and the progression to the Master’s specialty portion of the Graduate Entry program. Only Graduate Entry students who have successfully completed all prelicensure coursework by the end of the AU25 semester are eligible to participate in this ceremony. Eligible students will receive a formal invitation (sent to their Ohio State BuckeyeMail and name.# accounts) in early January.

Please note that there is no rehearsal for this event. It is vital that all participants are familiar with the details outlined below.

Things to know:

RSVP surveys must be submitted no later than Friday, January 23, 2026. In this survey you will:

• Indicate intention to participate in the ceremony
• Provide phonetic spelling of your first and last name
• Register the number of your guests who are expected to attend the event
  • Seating is limited, so participants are encouraged to be mindful of the number of guests they will be bringing to the ceremony.
  • The College of Nursing reserves the right to implement a limit to the number of guests per student as necessary if the RSVP numbers near or exceed room capacity.
• Vote for faculty address speaker
  • Each year, participating students have the opportunity to vote for one faculty member to be selected as a faculty pinner and to deliver the faculty address at the ceremony.

Expected attire

• Business attire is required.
• Graduation regalia and scrubs are not to be worn for this event.
• When selecting footwear, please consider that there are stairs at each end of the stage you will use as you walk across.

White coats

• If you choose to take part in the White Coat portion of the ceremony, you must purchase your own white coat.
  • The College of Nursing does not purchase, provide or reimburse for the cost of white coats.
• White coats can be purchased through The Medical Store using the school code: OSU2026 or from a company such as Goodman Uniforms.
• Those who want to have their white coats embroidered can do so at their own expense.
  • Embroidery must be completed by Goodman Uniforms in Columbus.
  • This service generally takes 2-3 weeks. Please refer to the university’s embroidery requirements for more details.
• You are not required to participate in the White Coat portion of the ceremony.
  • Those who do not wish to participate will remain seated during that part of the ceremony.

Valuables

• There will be no secured areas at the venue for students’ valuables to be stored during the ceremony.
• You are encouraged to secure valuables safely out of sight in a locked vehicle or leave them with friends/family members before proceeding to registration.
• If you bring valuables with you to registration, you will be required to carry them during the processional and recessional and store them under your seat during the ceremony.
• Neither The Ohio State University nor the College of Nursing are responsible for valuables lost, missing or stolen before, during or after attending this event.

Parking

• The closest parking garages are Tuttle, Lane Avenue and Arps.
• Faculty, staff, and students with a CampusParc parking pass can use their pass to park in the parking lot adjacent to the Fawcett Center.
• Those without a parking pass will receive a temporary parking pass via email the week of the event. Extra passes will be available at registration. The temporary pass must be displayed on the dashboard of your vehicle. This temporary pass is only honored from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
• You must have a CampusParc issued parking permit or the temporary parking pass to park at the Fawcett Center.

Arriving at the venue

• The Graduate Entry White Coat & Pinning Ceremony will be held in the Conference Theater at the Fawcett Event Center.
• Conference Theater doors open to guests at 3:15 p.m. The ceremony will begin promptly at 4:00 p.m. and is expected to last approximately one hour.

Ceremony information

Advancement staff will be available before, during and after the ceremony to direct students and guests. Please look for them and listen for their cues.

Registration

• You are expected to arrive for registration between 3 - 3:15 p.m.
• If you are participating in the White Coat portion of the ceremony, take your coat with you to registration.
• Only students, faculty and staff participating in the ceremony are permitted in the registration area.
• Friends and family will be directed to open seating in Hitchcock Hall, room 131.
• Registration name cards:
  • You will receive a card with your name, phonetic spelling (as provided in the RSVP) and a number printed on it.
  • Keep this card with you as it will be used for the processional line-up and during the ceremony.
  • If the phonetic spelling of your name is not preprinted on the card, you must write it on the line provided.
  • The number on the card corresponds to your place in the processional line.
  • You will carry the card to the stage and hand it to the faculty speaker to use to announce your name as you cross the stage.
• You must remain in the registration area to be ready for the line-up.

Processional

• Line-up will begin at 3:40 p.m.
• Line up in numerical order according to the number on your name card.
• Carry your white coat and name card with you in the processional.
• The ceremony will begin with the processional promptly at 4 p.m.
• Advancement staff will direct you to the reserved seating in the center section at the front of the room. Watch for their cues.
  • All participating students must sit in reserved seating during the ceremony.
  • Only students participating in the ceremony are permitted to sit in the reserved section.
• Remain standing at your seat until the opening speaker invites you to be seated.

White Coat

• During the ceremony, you will be instructed to stand and put on your white coat.
• This will be done as a group, signifying the cohort’s progression to the Master's portion of the program.
• Remain standing until the speaker invites you to be seated.

Presentation of pins

• Advancement staff will direct you where to go and when. Watch for their cues.
• Students in the front row will be prompted to stand and approach the steps on the right side of the stage.
  • Take your name card with you to the stage.
• When directed, climb the steps and hand your name card to the speaker at the podium.
• As your name is read:
  • Walk to the furthest available “X” on the floor in the middle of the stage and turn to face the audience.
  • A faculty member will be there to drape a black stole over your shoulders. The nursing pin is attached to the stole.
• After receiving the stole:
  • Turn to the right and continue across the stage to be congratulated by college administrators.
  • Continue to the far end of the stage, down the steps and return to your seat.

Recessional

• When the ceremony ends, the faculty will lead the recessional out of the room into the lobby.
• An Advancement staff member will release students by row, beginning with the front row, to follow the faculty out of the room.
• Stay in line and exit the room.
• After the students have left the room, family and friends will be invited to reunite with them in the lobby.
• This is the end of the formal program.

Questions?

For questions about the ceremony, email nursingadvancement@osu.edu.