The 2,750 seats of the New York City Theater were filled with parents, alumni and students waiting for their diplomas on Monday during the College of Nursing’s commencement ceremony.

NYU provost David McLaughlin started the ceremony by addressing the class of 2015 and reminding them of the quality of their education.

“In its Gerontology program, NYU Nursing is ranked number one in the entire nation,” McLaughlin said. “The college recently received the distinction of being a center of excellence in nursing education by the National Board of Nursing.”

Naomi Levine presented the Humanitarian Award during the ceremony and spoke about saving patients in World War II. She proceeded to give the award to Eileen Sullivan Marx, along with a pink T-shirt that read “Save one life, and you’re a hero; save 100 lives, and you’re a nurse.”

Regina Alexander, the recipient of the Traditional Baccalaureate Program distinction, spoke about the hardships and trials students have faced to receive their degree, listening to the 48-hour podcasts, figuring out the most correct answer out of four correct answers, dealing with professors and staying up long nights on a long and tedious journey.