BHCC Celebrates Health Sciences Class of 2026 at Pinning Ceremony
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Bunker Hill Community College honored graduates of its Central Processing, Surgical Technology, and Medical Assistant programs at the 2026 Health Sciences Pinning Ceremony held on May 7 at the Chelsea Campus. The event marked both the completion of rigorous training and the beginning of careers in patient care.
Opening remarks set an emotional tone, reflecting on the students’ journey from their first days in the program to this pivotal milestone. What began with nervous excitement in September culminated in a shared sense of accomplishment.
Medical Assistant Chair Deborah Latina opened the ceremony with encouragement that reflected the graduating class's perseverance. “If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl… Whatever you do, keep moving.” Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., MacPherson reminded graduates how far they had come since starting their programs last fall.
The message of “keep moving” became a theme echoed throughout the ceremony, recognizing the determination required to balance coursework, clinicals, and personal responsibilities.
Student speakers brought the ceremony to life with deeply personal reflections on their journeys, beginning with Medical Assistant graduate Jisela Clark, who described her classmates not merely as students but as survivors. “As I look around this room, I see more than just graduates; I see survivors, people who decided that good enough wasn’t enough and fought every single day to be here.”
She highlighted the realities many faced—late nights, early mornings, and the challenge of balancing family and ambition—while underscoring the deeper purpose behind their efforts. “We didn’t just do this for ourselves. We did it for our families. We are living examples of resilience.”
Surgical Technology graduate Oscar Franco shared his path of persistence and reflected on the program's intensity. He credited both faculty and peers for helping students succeed under pressure. “It was all about practice. We felt seen and appreciated by our classmates and by our professors.”
Speaking on behalf of the Central Processing students, Lisa Brown-Pierre described the growth and confidence students gained during the program. “This program has built so many challenges and so many obstacles that made me feel stronger.”
A central moment of the ceremony was the recitation of the Health Professions Oath, a tradition affirming graduates’ ethical responsibilities as they enter the healthcare field.
The ceremony celebrated not just a future job placement but a commitment to service, a readiness to meet challenges, and a shared belief in the impact these graduates will have on the lives of their future patients.
As they move forward, graduates carry not only their new credentials, but also the lessons, relationships, and purpose that defined their journey.
Or, as they were reminded repeatedly throughout the ceremony: Keep moving.