Duquesne University. Nursing Pin

Pin owner Lauraine Spano-Szekely, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, Nurse Leader: "I am the younger of two female children in a traditional Italian family who are both nurses. My sister, who is 10 years older than I, graduated from a Diploma School of Nursing.  My dad thought that a Diploma School is where you go when you want to be a Nurse. I had to convince him that I wanted a college degree and earn a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN). Initially, he wasn’t to be convinced, so I enrolled and paid for my entry into Stony Brook University where boys and girls were all in the same dorm building. He wasn’t very happy about that so had me transfer to a catholic university, hence, my graduation from Duquesne University as a BSN and as the Sorority President of Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA). I couldn’t have been happier there and earned my BSN. In the end he was very proud and credits himself with my success! "

Pin was photographed at the nursing pin event organized by the NYU Medical Archives at the 28th Annual Nursing Science Conference in 2025.  Photo Credit: Dane Giuffre.