Wittenberg University and Clark State Community College (CSCC) recently announced a joint program designed to assist students in earning a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN).

Known as the Pathway Program, the partnership allows students at Wittenberg to earn a BSN through a combination of courses offered at Wittenberg and Clark State utilizing a 1+2+1 system (one year at Wittenberg, two at Clark State, final year at Wittenberg).  The program is pending approval from the Ohio Board of Regents and the North Central Association.

“By combining our strengths and fulfilling our respective missions, Wittenberg and Clark State will together ensure that tomorrow’s nurses are trained and educated both broadly and deeply so that they can provide the critical, well-rounded and cutting-edge healthcare the citizens of the region and the country deserve,” said Wittenberg Provost Christopher M. Duncan.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Initiative on The Future of Nursing recommends hospitals increasing their proportion of BSN nurses to 80 percent by the year 2020. Area employers strongly encourage, and some require, a BSN upon hire or within three years of hire.

“Clark State's commitment to student success and program excellence will be further enhanced through this partnership," said Kathy Wilcox, dean of health, human and public services at Clark State. “The IOM Future of Nursing report indicates that 55 percent of nurses in the United States hold bachelor's degrees, and some 60 percent of them begin their nursing education at a community college. Clark State continues to play an important role in providing high quality and affordable education and prepares nurses to move on to higher levels of education. Both the students and the local healthcare community will benefit from this collaboration, which is the first of this kind in Ohio."

The Pathway Program builds from the strengths of Clark State’s RN program and Wittenberg’s new RN to BSN program. It combines a conventional university experience with that of a residential college.

Applicants will be enrolled as traditional Wittenberg University students, living on campus and engaging in all facets of campus life. This innovative collaborative arrangement should improve access to and student success in both nursing programs