University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing

Designed by former Dean Ruth Perkins Kuehn, the pin is based on the seal of the university from 1937 until the mid-1970s and bears a candle motif, which symbolizes the role of the nurse in health care.

The pinning ceremony, begun in 1943, marks the culmination of a student's undergraduate program of study.

The ceremony includes the Passing of the Light ritual, which represents graduates' commitment to the ideals of excellence in nursing practice.

As of 2013, the Pitt School of Nursing's on-line graduate program is ranked 9th in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.

[5] The School of Nursing was originally scattered over five locations throughout the Oakland campus of the university.