As first-year nursing students entered the Albert Wessels Auditorium, dressed in their uniforms, the expression of joy they wore on their faces gave a glimpse of their pride in themselves for the milestone they had achieved.

Professor Magda Mulder, the Head of the School of Nursing at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus, opened with the words, “Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t have”, as she welcomed students and guests to the Uniform Ceremony of the School. The ceremony is a function in which first-year students are welcomed and initiated into the nursing profession, a discipline with its own values, behaviours, and ethics. Prof Mulder challenged students to discover what they have, no matter how little, and aspire to making a difference with it.

John Mogakwe, a former UFS nursing student himself and current part-time lecturer at the School, was the guest speaker at the ceremony. Mogakwe said that being in the profession was a privilege, as he emphasised the importance of professionalism in the nursing environment. “Nursing is a caring profession, marked by respect, dignity, and kindness for oneself and for others,” he said. He called on students to be the change they wanted to see in their profession.

Students then received their certificates, and each was given a candle to hold as they recited a declaration of intent regarding their conduct as aspiring nurses. The lighting of candles is a sacred tradition in which nurses pledge to be a beacon of hope in their societies.

Students were able to capture their happy moments in front of the camera, as celebrations continued for the rest of the afternoon.