CINCINNATI, Ohio– On Saturday morning, Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences held it’s first-ever Drive-In Commencement Ceremony. This is an event that many students were really looking forward to.

One of those graduates Angela Brown who earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She says her 4-year journey to this day was a little challenging.

“Classes were hard,” said Brown. “They say nursing school is hard, but you don’t realize how hard it is until you’re in it, and it’s hard.”

And she says it’s been even more difficult while having to adjust from going to class in-person to going to school from home.

“We’re just doing modules and reading and learning and videos, so it’s definitely a huge adjustment on the clinical side,” she said.

But all of her hard work finally paid off when she found out she could still participate in her college’s commencement ceremony.

“I was really sad when graduation was canceled,” said Brown. “I didn’t know if they had plans set to have something else, but then being here now and seeing this today makes me so excited that we get the chance to celebrate because a lot of people don’t get it.”

Brown was one of 240 students who graduated in Saturday’s ceremony. Many Students and families decorated their vehicles to show their support for the graduates. Family members clapped and cheered as the students walked down to get their degrees.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the college says it was important for them to find a way to honor the students.

“Because of everything going on, we really just thought this was an important opportunity for our students to come together, to be appreciated for all the hard work,” said Dr. Gail Kist-Kline, Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “So to have powered through everything they’ve gone through, we wanted this to be memorable, fun, but safe.”

Now that she has graduated, Brown says she is excited about the future. She has applied to several jobs and is hoping to land one soon. Despite everything going on, she says she is excited to start her journey as a nurse on the frontline.

“It makes me nervous, but at the same time, I really just want to be out there doing something and helping the community,” said Brown.