Even torrential rain couldn’t dampen the excitement and emotion welling up inside Lakeside Village Expo Center as Dean Hudson P. Santos Jr. welcomed more than 100 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students and their guests to the inaugural University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies White Coat Ceremony Friday, August 22.
The event celebrated 50 senior and 59 junior nursing students transitioning into the clinical phase of their educational journey. These students will complete many hours with their nurse preceptors at medical sites throughout South Florida, including the University of Miami and Jackson health systems.
“The white coats we are gathered here to present to you symbolize your entry into this esteemed profession, and your commitment to the values, responsibilities, and service it demands,” said Dean Santos.
Nichole Crenshaw, associate dean for undergraduate nursing programs, then asked all nursing students and nurses in attendance to stand and take the Ibis Nursing Pledge, an oath to patients, colleagues, and the profession. “This pledge will stay with you through moments of triumph and moments of challenge,” she said before introducing Ruth Everett-Thomas, Juan M. Gonzalez, Giselle Garcia Rivero, Erick Zarabozo, and LaToya Lewis as the five nursing faculty members selected to cloak the students.
“Your white coat represents compassion, integrity, and the courage to care deeply, even when it's hard,” said Associate Dean Crenshaw. “You will be the calm in someone’s storm, the strength in their weakness, and the hope in their healing. Never forget the power of your presence, your touch, and your voice.
“The journey ahead will challenge you,” she continued, “but it will also shape you into the kind of nurse you have envisioned for yourself—and that the world so desperately needs. We are proud of you, and we believe in you.”
Alexa Guercia’s mother and father flew down from their home in Connecticut to be with her for the ceremony. Her roommate of all four years also came to show her support. “As I begin my senior year of nursing school,” said Guercia, “I’m honored to receive my white coat and excited to take this next step toward becoming a registered nurse and continuing to grow in the profession I love!”
Senior Norel Reyes attended Friday’s ceremony with two of her closest friends. Originally from Harlem, New York City, Reyes aspires to be an aesthetic nurse practitioner and open a medical spa one day. “This moment represents more than a symbol,” she said. “It reflects the countless hours of dedication, clinical experience, and growth that have shaped me into the astute nurse I am becoming.”
Thanking her professors, mentors, peers, and family, Reyes added, “Nursing is not just a profession, but a calling to serve, advocate, and care for others with compassion and skill—values I strive to embody every day.”
FALL 2025 | White Coat Ceremony: Photo Album
FALL 2025 | White Coat Ceremony: Video
IBIS NURSING PLEDGE
I pledge to uphold the values of compassion, fairness, and excellence in nursing.
I will care for every person with respect, empathy, and integrity—honoring their dignity, culture, and voice.
I commit to ethical practice, lifelong learning, and collaboration across all disciplines to advance health and healing.
I will embrace innovation, advocate for health equity, and serve my community with humility, and purpose.
This is my promise to those I care for, to my colleagues, and to the nursing profession.
