SFU Nursing Students Mark Milestone with White Coat Ceremony

Saint Francis University welcomed 36 nursing students into the clinical phase of their education during the University’s Nursing White Coat Ceremony on Monday,  September 7, 2026. 

The ceremony marked an important milestone for the students as they received their white coats and prepared to begin applying their classroom knowledge in clinical settings. More than a symbol of their transition into the healthcare profession, the white coat also reminds them of their responsibility to provide compassionate, dignified care to every patient they encounter. 

Rooted in the Franciscan tradition of service and care for the whole person, the ceremony encouraged students to approach their future profession with empathy, integrity, and a commitment to seeing each patient as an individual. As these students begin their clinical experiences, they carry the knowledge and skills developed through their education at Saint Francis University, along with the values that will guide them as future nurses. 

History of the White Coat Ceremony 

The White Coat Ceremony originated in 1993 at Columbia University through the efforts of the  Arnold P. Gold Foundation. In 2014, the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and the American  Association of Colleges of Nursing collaborated to extend this tradition to nursing programs. The  Foundation provides participants with pins and pledge cards, underscoring its commitment to  humanism in healthcare. 

The White Coat Ceremony emphasizes compassion and the human connection from the very beginning of clinical training. Today, hundreds of nursing schools and medical schools, along  with many other health professions programs around the world, hold White Coat Ceremonies as  a way to welcome students into the clinical profession and reinforce the importance of  compassionate care. 

Student Honorees 

The following students were recognized and presented with their white coats during the 2026  ceremony:   

Sophia Buday – Johnstown, PA  

Hannah Capo – Fountainville, PA

Anna Commero – Ephrata, PA  

Lukas Conner – Ebensburg, PA   

Nina Connors – Adamstown, MD  

Annelise Davis – Portage, PA  

Alexander Deppen – Punxsutawney, PA

Ryan Donoughe – Altoona, PA   

Haley Dunlap – Johnstown, PA  

Noah Gartner – Johnstown, PA   

Marlina Gawel – Johnstown, PA  

Emma Gressick – Portage, PA 

Kacie Haberman – Pittsburgh, PA  

Mackenzie Hirt – Pittsburgh, PA   

Madyson Hockenberry – Bellefonte, PA 

Olivia Hrubochak – Hastings, PA    

Kaylee Kensinger – Martinsburg, PA   

Camden Kuster – Roaring Spring, PA   

Carmen Licata – Hollidaysburg, PA   

Madison Link – Patton, PA   

Shosha MacCumbee – Manor, PA

Cordelia Maher – Altoona, PA   

Maddison Mellott – Duncansville, PA   

Morgan Pasternak – DuBois, PA    

Gabriela Quinones-Torano – Caguas, PR   

Sophia Reitz – Murrysville, PA    

Ella Rozich – Johnstown, PA    

Caden Schenk – Roaring Spring, PA    

Abigail Schneider – Boalsburg, PA   

Brenna Sweeley – Altoona, PA  

Bryce Van Horn – Cortland, OH    

Kolby Van Why – Indiana, PA    

Lindsay Whysong – Altoona, PA   

Hannah Wick – North Wales, PA  

Zachary Zagorski – Johnstown, PA    

Kourtney Zatsick – Falls Creek, PA 

About the Nursing Program 

Begin your nursing journey with an undergraduate BSN track or advance your career through a  nationally accredited graduate program. At Saint Francis University, students receive personal attention from expert faculty, hands-on training in advanced labs, and a curriculum rooted in  Franciscan values of service and care for the whole person. With affordable Family Nurse  Practitioner options and consistently high NCLEX-RN pass rates, SFU prepares students to lead and excel in today’s healthcare field.