Flanked by a flock of Hurricane cheerleaders and sporting his very own white coat, Sebastian the Ibis helped more than 200 students in the accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program celebrate an important rite of passage, marking the next step in their educational journey. Bounding onstage during the School of Nursing and Health Studies White Coat Ceremony, the energetic University of Miami mascot high-fived faculty, hugged Dean Hudson P. Santos, and led the enthusiastic audience in spelling out the C-A-N-E-S cheer.
Another special guest Dean Santos welcomed to the September 8 event was the school’s 2024 Alumna of Distinction Dr. Elizabeth Vieito-Smith, chief nursing officer for UHealth – the University of Miami Health System. Not only is UHealth one of the outstanding clinical sites program participants gain real-world experience at, but it also recently became Florida’s only hospital to achieve the superlative Magnet with Distinction® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, said Dean Santos.
As part of the program, Nichole Crenshaw, associate dean for undergraduate nursing programs, led students in the 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.
“This pledge will stay with you through moments of triumph and moments of challenge,” she said. “The journey ahead will challenge you, 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. We believe in you.”
Then the students were called to the stage, eight at a time, standing shoulder to shoulder to be “coated” by the faculty members standing behind them: Drs. Giovanna De Oliveira, Ruth Everett-Thomas, LaToya Lewis, Regine Reaves, Giselle Garcia Rivero, Beatriz Valdes, Christopher Weidlich, and Erick Zarabozo. The hundreds of proud friends and family members in the audience took photos and cheered for each group.
“Your white coat represents compassion, integrity, and the courage to care deeply, even when it's hard. You will be the calm in someone’s storm, the strength in their weakness, and the hope in their healing,” said Associate Dean Crenshaw. “Never forget the power of your presence, your touch, and your voice.”
ABSN 2025 White Coat Ceremony | Photo Album | Video
