Show-Me State Times

Saint Louis University’s Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing held its annual White Coat Ceremony on Friday, September 26, at St. Francis Xavier College Church. This year marked the first time that students from all three nursing pathways—the traditional four-year BSN, the 12-month accelerated BSN, and the RN-to-BSN program—were recognized together in a single event.

The White Coat Ceremony is a longstanding tradition for health professions students across the United States. The act of donning the white coat symbolizes a formal commitment to providing compassionate and ethical care as future health professionals.

Nicole Armstrong, campus minister of SLU’s south campus, began the ceremony with an invocation. She spoke about her experience as a hospital chaplain and highlighted nurses’ ability to balance strength with compassion. Armstrong said nurses are often “the most consistent and memorable presence for patients and families.” She discussed how nursing involves both routine tasks and significant life moments, requiring emotional resilience. Armstrong encouraged students to seek supportive communities and recognize their own value in their roles. She concluded by praying for peace, comfort, and strength for those entering health care.

Keynote speaker Jerry Durham, Ph.D., chancellor and distinguished professor of nursing emeritus at Allen College, addressed attendees after Armstrong’s remarks. Durham is a three-time graduate of Saint Louis University and recently joined the Dean's Executive Advisory Board at the Valentine School of Nursing.

Durham told students that nurses have an impact beyond individual patient care: “If caring were enough, anyone could be a nurse,” Durham said. “Nursing requires extensive education, critical thinking, and a strong scientific foundation to provide safe and effective patient care.” He described nursing as both an art and science that demands compassion along with solid educational preparation.

Durham also emphasized peer support during nursing school as key to building lifelong friendships. He urged students to pursue their calling not only as a career but also as an opportunity to make meaningful changes in society.

During the ceremony, each student received pins provided by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation—a group dedicated to promoting compassionate collaboration in health care through excellence in science—and had their hands blessed upon leaving the altar in recognition of their future role providing comfort and healing.