Eighty-nine nursing students of the West Visayas State University College of Nursing were formally welcomed into the next stage of their professional journey during the Class of 2026 Pinning Ceremony held May 27 at the WVSU Cultural Center.

Batch Vesta participated in the traditional ceremony symbolizing their commitment to the nursing profession and their readiness for clinical training and patient care.

University President Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz delivered his inspirational message through a video presentation, reminding the students of their duty to serve with compassion, integrity and professionalism as future healthcare workers.

College of Nursing Dean Dr. Madonna S. Palmes, together with faculty members, led the donning of pins, while the students also recited the Nightingale Pledge and the Nurse’s Prayer during the ceremony.

Inspirational speaker Alfonso Noli Combong, a WVSU nursing alumnus and retired lieutenant commander of the U.S. Navy Reserve Nurse Corps, encouraged Batch Vesta to embrace the limitless possibilities ahead of them in the healthcare profession.

“Your future is limitless. You may become a leader, a provider, or an educator, or the nurse who changes someone else’s life in one single moment,” Combong said. “Class of 2026, you are ready. Ready to serve, ready to lead, ready to make a difference in ways you don’t even realize it yet. Go forward, with skill, with courage, and with purpose, and never forget lives will change because of you.”

The pinning ceremony marked a milestone for the 89 students as they move closer toward becoming professional nurses committed to service and excellence in healthcare.