Leaders from Grand Valley and Muskegon Community College signed a concurrent enrollment agreement April 27, 2016 that will provide MCC students with a seamless transition to a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
The agreement is between MCC’s Applied Science Nursing program and Grand Valley’s Kirkhof College of Nursing’s RN to BSN program.
Cynthia McCurren, dean of KCON, said this collaboration will help meet a need for educated nurse leaders in Michigan, and address an Institute of Medicine report challenging states to increase the percentage of nurses with bachelor’s degrees to 80 percent by 2020.
“This is an opportunity where we bring respect and the true spirit of collaboration to the table,” McCurren said during the signing event at the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences. “It’s not to compete but to work together and share resources.”
The agreement will provide MCC students who are interested in participating in concurrent enrollment with resources and coordinated advising services between the two nursing programs.
Dale Nesbary, president of MCC, said the agreement helps students achieve their goal of earning a bachelor’s degree while taking classes in Muskegon.
“Muskegon Community College is pleased to join with Grand Valley in this effort to meet the health care needs of West Michigan,” Nesbary said. “This agreement will provide efficient and effective academic pathways for our students, as well as deliver additional nursing talent for the many health care institutions in our region.”
Gayle R. Davis, provost and executive vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, welcomed the contingent of MCC and KCON nursing faculty members to CHS.
“Grand Valley is committed to this partnership and will be meeting regularly to identify then support students who want to participate in concurrent enrollment,” Davis said.
The Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the undergraduate curriculum is based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) Baccalaureate Essentials. Students apply as a degree-seeking student with declaration of nursing as their major to the baccalaureate program using the GVSU Office of Admissions application form and apply to the RN-BSN program by completing the KCON secondary application form. It is recommended that students apply during the first semester they are enrolled in the MCC AAS-Nursing Program if they wish to pursue concurrent enrollment between MCC and GVSU. Admission to the program is competitive; the most qualified candidates will be selected from the pool of candidates meeting the minimum criteria. Students must meet established admission requirements. Information regarding admission requirements is featured in the GVSU Course Catalog or the KCON website at: http://www.gvsu.edu/kcon/rn-to-bsn-admission-process-331.htm.
For more information, please contact Kristin Williams, M.A. at willkris@gvsu.edu or 616-331-5637.
GVSU Concurrent Enrollment Guide 6.20 has more information about the concurrent agreement.
