NMCC Celebrates Nursing Class of 2026 During Pinning Ceremony

Northern Maine Community College honored its Nursing Class of 2026 during the college’s annual Nursing Pinning Ceremony on Friday, May 8, in Presque Isle.

The ceremony recognized graduating nursing students for their dedication, compassion, and commitment as they prepare to move from nursing education into professional practice. Family members, friends, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate the class and take part in one of the most meaningful traditions in nursing education.

The nursing pinning ceremony is a longstanding tradition that marks a student’s transition from the classroom into the nursing profession. At NMCC, the event also served as a celebration of the important role many of these graduates will play in helping meet healthcare workforce needs across Aroostook County and the region.

Several members of the graduating class are already working in healthcare settings, while others are preparing to begin positions serving patients and communities in the area.

Welcome remarks were delivered by Andrew Gagnon, department chair of Nursing, EMS, and Allied Health. Angela R. Buck, vice president and dean of Academic and Student Affairs, offered opening remarks, and Jessica Lahey, a member of the nursing faculty, served as guest speaker.

Emily Rae Jackson represented the Class of 2026 and addressed her classmates during the ceremony.

Pins were awarded by Michelle L. Soucy, Nursing Level II coordinator. Family members and loved ones joined graduates on stage to participate in the traditional pinning, adding to the significance of the moment for the students and their families.

Members of the graduating class also participated in the Florence Nightingale Pledge. The ceremony concluded with a student slideshow and Nurses’ Blessing led by Gagnon.

The graduates recognized during the ceremony were Sara Abellera, Kylah Chelsea Belanger, Elayna Byron, Joseph Allan Carroll, Kourtney Carter, Daniela Maria Cormier, Haley Emma Dumond, Andrew John Dyer, Karina Golban, Emily Rae Jackson, Jessica Rene’ King, Gracy Iris Labbe, Cecilia Nicole MacIntosh, Matthew McCormack, Tonya McLennan, Gail Andrea Phair-Kirk, Amanda Carol Rawlinson, Erica Michelle Rosten, Kevin Robert Sexton, Ailyn Stewart, and Edith Tungadio.

Photographs from the Nursing Pinning Ceremony are expected to be made available online in the coming week. NMCC says a gallery link will be shared with graduates by email and posted on the college’s social media channels once available.

Northern Maine Community College was founded in 1961 and is a fully accredited, two-year public college in Presque Isle. NMCC offers more than 30 associate degree and certificate programs, both online and in person, as part of the Maine Community College System.