EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio - East Ohio College held its pinning ceremony for the graduates of its Nursing program at the Beaver Local High School auditorium Thursday evening.

Thirty one graduates celebrated the culmination of their hard work and education that led them to this momentous occasion as they walked across the stage to receive their associates degrees.

East Ohio College President Samantha Esposito tells 21 News the graduating class consisted of a mixture of students with some graduating with an associates RN degree and some others being LPN-to-RN students who are graduating.

Esposito says the ceremony is a way for graduates to be able to share the joy of their graduation with their families. 

"Students will pick anyone that they choose to come up and usually pin them. Usually they're thanking their parents [or] their children. It's a moment for them to share with their families to culminate all the hard work that they've done," Esposito said.

Esposito added that nurses are more necessary in the workforce than ever now, so East Ohio College is launching a new hybrid model of their nursing program this fall.

"We understand there's a lot of people that need to have flexibility when they go to school. They're raising children [or] they're working jobs, so that was one of the reasons we decided to launch a hybrid program because of the need and the demands from facilities telling us 'we need nurses,' Esposito said.

Esposito says the hybrid program will take 18 months to complete.