Kettering College and Wilberforce University Create Pipeline for Transfer Students
October 17, 2024 – Kettering College and Wilberforce University have created a pipeline to streamline the process of continuing education for students wishing to pursue a career in nursing.
The pipeline provides the opportunity for Wilberforce students who have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree and pre-requisites from that university to transfer directly into Kettering College’s Nursing program in the accelerated track to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (A-BSN) degree in as few as 15 months.
Due to a national shortage of nurses and a growing awareness of the lucrative and flexible profession, a growing number of students are becoming interested in that career path. Dr. Paula Reams, Kettering College Nursing chair and dean, says it is common for students to get close to completing their undergraduate program and desire to switch gears.
Both institutions want students to welcome this realization, rather than feel overwhelmed by it. Dr. Reams says, “Sometimes people don’t know they want to go into nursing until halfway through their schooling—it happens often. If they study something but then feel a change of heart, this option is here for them.”
The inaugural cohort in Kettering College’s A-BSN program is proof changing direction in one’s career choice is possible. Students entered the program with bachelor’s degrees in unrelated programs such as graphic design, psychology, anthropology, and communications. They realized they wanted to pursue nursing careers after they had begun other unrelated careers.
Kettering College A-BSN graduate Aurora Turner previously worked as a dermatology medical assistant. She enjoyed working with patients and wanted to learn more skills. In a 2023 Pacesetter magazine interview, she said, “I chose Kettering College because it’s close to home, has smaller class sizes, and has a long track record of graduating skilled nurses with high success rates.” She added, “It’s a very fast-paced and work-intensive program, but I learn a lot every day, and it was exciting to start clinical experiences in the first semester!”
Aurora and the rest of the inaugural graduating A-BSN cohort at Kettering College enjoyed a 100% first-time pass rate of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). All A-BSN graduates were offered and accepted nursing positions immediately after graduation, of which 60% were at Kettering Health. The current cohort in the program graduates this December, and several students have already accepted positions within Kettering Health upon successful program completion.
This new collaboration with Kettering College will give Wilberforce students awareness of an additional educational path they might not have otherwise been aware of, giving them options without seeking them out on their own.
The A-BSN program at Kettering College is the only one in the greater Dayton area, so students can remain close to home as they answer the call to become nurses. Kettering College’s partnership with Kettering Health ensures students who transfer can take advantage of unique opportunities and, ultimately, gain possible employment within the same healthcare system.
About Kettering College
Kettering College is a fully accredited, faith-based healthcare college in a suburb of Dayton, Ohio, offering career-focused medical degrees through traditional and accelerated programs. A division of Kettering Health, Kettering College is located on the Kettering Health Main Campus and is chartered by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.