The Ohio Board of Regents and the Higher Learning Commission have granted approval of the Nursing Pathway Program; a collaboration between Clark State Community College and Wittenberg University allowing students to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and also a Bachelor of Science in Nursing within a four-year program. The Pathway Program will begin with the Fall 2015 Semester.
“Clark State and Wittenberg's collaboration directly benefits students and the healthcare community and represents a strong community partnership between workforce development and higher educational institutions,” said Clark State President Dr. Jo Alice Blondin.
Students in the Nursing Pathway Program will benefit from a liberal arts and professional education experience, while participating in traditional university student life.
“Students are dual-enrolled,” said Dala DeWitt, RN program director at Clark State – Springfield Regional School of Nursing. “Their first year is at Wittenberg, second and third years at Clark State and fourth at Wittenberg.” DeWitt said students pay Clark State tuition rates during their second and third years, which is a cost savings. However, during all four years students are considered a full-time Wittenberg student and live on Wittenberg’s campus with full access to their support services.
Several Wittenberg students will begin classes at Clark State this summer and then enter the nursing program in Fall 2015. “Wittenberg admission requirements must be met by students, which means they meet Clark State’s admission requirements too,” said DeWitt.
Prior to enrolling in the Nursing Pathway Program, students must declare a nursing major when applying to Wittenberg University. Students must complete various requirements in order to apply for admission to the Nursing Pathway Program and to progress to Clark State courses.
“In other institutions, students have to wait until their sophomore year to apply to nursing and don’t know if they’re selected until they’ve completed two years of general education,” said Elizabeth Sorensen, Wittenberg University professor and director of nursing. “In the Nursing Pathway Program, students declare the nursing major before freshman admission, apply for the BSN program at the end of their first freshman semester and learn if they’re selected before their second freshman semester of studies.”
Sorensen said the Nursing Pathway Program is the first four-year nursing program to be offered at Wittenberg. “In the past, Wittenberg students had to transfer to other schools to pursue nursing, and Wittenberg athletics coaches lost talented recruits who wanted to study nursing.”
Admission to the Nursing Pathway Program will be a competitive process, and prospective students are encouraged to complete college credit courses before admission to Wittenberg. Sorensen said area employers prefer the BSN at hire or shortly after hire.
“The Nursing Pathway Program empowers students and prepares them to be top-notch professional healthcare practitioners,” she said. “Completing the BSN opens doors to advanced education and to positions in leadership and management.”
For more information on the Nursing Pathway Program or to schedule a visit, contact Elizabeth Sorensen, Wittenberg University professor and director of nursing at (937) 327-7012 or sce@wittenberg.edu.