Nursing's White Coat and Willow Ceremonies Mark Historic Achievements
The number of men entering nursing continues to climb and for many good reasons. Job opportunities continue to grow, nursing salaries provide a better than average living wage, and people will always need nursing and healthcare. In 2008, there were only 7% of nurses that were men, but by 2023 men accounted for 12.6% of registered nurses. In 2023, about 12% of nursing students in the U.S. were men (AACN, 2023) and the CSULB School of Nursing, at any given time, has about 15-20% males in its classes.
In Fall 2024, 25% of the incoming Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students were male, but this semester, the number of males skyrocketed to 35% (28 out of 80). Michael L. Williams, Director of the School of Nursing at CSULB noted that, “When I joined nursing, only 4% [student enrollment] were male, which equated to only 3 men on stage for our White Coat Ceremony in previous years. It was shocking and reassuring to see 28 of them this year receive their white coats!"
The White Coat Ceremony -- originally introduced at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine in 1989 -- has become a rite of passage for new students entering CSULB’s School of Nursing. Meanwhile, The Willow Ceremony was also held, which is for graduate nursing students celebrating their entry into advanced nursing practice; usually after one year of didactic studies.
Hundreds were in attendance to celebrate the 2025 renewal of these ceremonies -- including friends and families of the students, faculty, and School and College leadership.
"I am hopeful that we have finally overcome the stigma that nursing is solely a female profession--nursing is a great career for both women and men," Dr. Williams stated.
"Welcome to both our male and female students—we look forward to seeing your contributions to our profession!"
