St. Luke’s School of Nursing held its 150th commencement Aug. 9 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, Allentown.

“The nursing program here at St. Luke’s is unique,” said Nursing School Director Sandra Mesics, RN. “Our curriculum is diverse and comprehensive, and our students benefit from the tremendous amount of resources we have throughout our Network. We also seek to employ many of the nurses we train, so it’s a win-win.”

The graduation ceremony included 65 students, compared to three when the school was founded in 1884. The first class graduated in 1886, and during some years since then more than one class has graduated. The St. Luke’s School of Nursing is said to be the United States’ oldest nursing school.

St. Luke’s University Health Network has the highest-ranked nursing program in the Lehigh Valley, according to the website RegisteredNursing.org.

The nursing program is ranked fifth out of 76 programs in Pennsylvania, based on graduates’ performance on the National Council Licensure Examination- Registered Nurse board exam.

The Nursing School is expanding access with a new evening-weekend track that allows flex-learning and the ability to attend while still working.

“We are very excited to offer this option for our students,” said Angela Daniel, St. Luke’s School of Nursing recruitment and enrollment coordinator. “We know that our student’s lives are busy and we want to provide them with multiple options to pursue their education.”