During this year’s Commencement ceremonies, Pensacola Christian College conferred over 850 degrees to graduate and undergraduate students representing all 50 U.S. states and 29 foreign countries and territories. As each graduate walked across the Crowne Centre stage, their family and friends acknowledged the hard work and dedication it took to earn a degree.
Nurses’ Pinning and Lamp Lighting Ceremony
On Thursday evening, May 8, undergraduate nursing students were honored for their hard work in a Pinning and Lamp Lighting ceremony. Emily Jones (Nursing ’25) received this year’s Nursing Excellence Award, a tradition that honors the nursing graduate who best represents academic achievement, integration of Christian principles, and the high standards of the nursing profession among the nursing class.
Missionary nurse practitioner Kristine McLaughlin spoke to the graduating nursing class and reminded them to serve with compassion. “Compassion first contributes to quality care but also makes pathways for the gospel,” she said. McLaughlin encouraged the graduates to serve as Jesus did, caring for others and pointing them to His kingdom. “May you show in your practice a compassionate light that leaves a lasting impact on both staff and patients,” she advised. “May the Lord fill your heart with joy as you go out of these halls and serve Him through nursing.”
During the ceremony, each nursing student was presented with a pin. A close friend or family member attached the pin to the student’s white lab coat in recognition of the service, sacrifice, and dedication required of nurses. “The pin has come to symbolize the initiation of graduates into the nursing vocation,” said Miss Heather Hartkopf, chair of nursing. “Like other nursing schools, PCC has its own unique pin. If you look closely at PCC’s nursing pin, you’ll see the words ‘strength,’ ‘truth,’ and ‘beauty’ just as they appear on the College seal.”
Each student also received a lamp, symbolic of the nursing profession, that pays tribute to Florence Nightingale, who made history along with 38 other female nurses by tending to the needs of sick and wounded soldiers during the Crimean War. At the close of the ceremony, nursing faculty and the audience applauded the nursing class of 2025 in appreciation of all their hard work.
Commencement Ceremonies
Friday, May 9, quiet excitement permeated the Crowne Centre auditorium as students in caps and gowns walked down the aisles to their seats. Smiling widely, audience members searched for graduates they knew. Today marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another.
As a Christian academic institution, PCC awards honorary degrees to express respect and appreciation to those who have displayed exceptional leadership and faithful service to the Lord in their ministry and vocation. This year, Dr. Joshua D. Hershberger (Political Science ’08) and Kristine Ann McLaughlin (Nursing ’01) both received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree for their leadership in advancing the gospel.
Dr. Hershberger, a respected attorney and Christian advocate in Indiana, gave the commencement address for both ceremonies and shared with the graduates three lessons he had learned early in life: listen in silence, trust God in uncertainty, and stand with confidence. “You know the King of Heaven who hung the stars,” he reminded his audience. “He called you and equipped you! Step out in confidence, and do not be afraid!”
Dr. Hershberger continued, “The impossible is possible. I know, because I saw pictures of snow covering the campus this year. . . . If God was with you in the blizzard of ’25, He will be with you in your next steps.”
PCC traditionally awards the President’s Citation of Merit to two outstanding graduates. These graduates embody the mission and purpose of the College through their personal character and values. This year, Patti Ring (Music Education ’25) and Nathan Valentin (Engineering: Mechanical ’25) were each honored with this coveted award. After conferring degrees, Dr. Shoemaker proclaimed, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present the entire class of 2025 from Pensacola Christian College.”
As Proclaim Ministry Team members sang the College hymn, the class of 2025 left the auditorium, eager to begin their next journey.
Hearing From the Graduates
Because of the legacy the College has, students enrolling at PCC have come to expect high standards and excellence. Students and their parents can count on PCC to fulfill this promise. The class of 2025 exemplifies that fulfillment.
Business graduate Allyson Wantz (Management, Marketing ’25) is excited to apply the knowledge she learned in her classes on her business journey. “The most helpful class I took for my two majors was Strategic Management and Business Policy—my management capstone class,” she explained. “That class really showed me how all business aspects worked together and gave me an understanding of the integral parts a business needs to operate.”
Many students come to PCC for an education built on a strong biblical worldview. Bryce Hammond (Pastoral Ministries) was one of those students. “I have a strong burden for ministry,” he shared. “PCC stood out to me for their strong group of ministers who graduate and immediately start making a difference. The reputation of the PCC ministry program is outstanding, so I knew that I had to see it myself.”
While graduates are excited to begin their careers, many will miss the College’s thriving social environment. “I’ll miss being able to see my friends on a daily basis,” shared Lexie Prouty (Missions ’25). “I loved the daily encouragement and friendly smiles.” While Lexie and other graduates will miss the friends they have made during their college journey, they know that the academic, spiritual, and social lessons they’ve learned will help them in their next steps.
Congratulations, Class of 2025! PCC is proud to see its graduates influence their world for Christ.