New Nursing Degree Pathway Program Offers $10,000 Scholarship

• Following legislation that awarded $56 million to the creation of Nursing Degree Pathway Program Partnerships, Davenport University has launched a collaboration with NCMC.
• This partnership expands Davenport University’s exissitng pathway degree programs for highschool seniors, EMS workers, combat medics, and medical assistants. 
• The first 30 nursing students to successfully transfer from NCMC to Davenport will be eligible for up to $10,000 in scholarship.

Across Michigan, four-year universities are increasing the number of BSN graduates by partnering with local community colleges. On January 30th, Davenport University announced its latest partnership with North Central Michigan College.

Davenport’s President, Richard J. Pappas, said, “This partnership is critical to the ultimate goal of producing more nurses with higher-level degrees to work in our hospitals. We know the North Central graduates who will be coming to us will be educated and ready for the next steps in their education and their careers.”

Students who take part in this nursing degree pathway partnership may also be eligible for a $10,000 to Davenport University.

Michigan’s partnerships between 4-year universities and community colleges are funded through state aid, which allocated $56 million to the creation of these programs.

Read about scholarship opportunities for this upcoming program and similar pathway partnerships that have begun around Michigan.

Davenport University’s Nursing Pathway

Prior to its partnership with North Central Michigan College (NCMC), Davenport University offered multiple options for students wanting to enter nursing. Beginning with high school seniors, Davenport offers direct admission to their BSN program.

Davenport’s direct admit program allows high-performing high-school graduates to directly enter the nursing program at their Grand Rapids, Midland, and Lansing campuses. Eligible students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5, a minimum SAT score of 1160 out of 16000, and a completed NursingCAS application.

There are also specific pathways for EMS workers, combat medics, and medical assistants to earn their BSN at Davenport. The university’s partnership with NCMC has now expanded these options to include a pathway for associate degree holders from NCMC.

This partnership will have students attend NCMC for three years to earn an associate’s degree before transferring to Davenport University for their final year and completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Davenport offers online coursework with in-person clinical opportunities at NCMC campuses. 

These flexible learning opportunities would also allow students to pursue local work in the nursing field while earning their BSN.

Practical Nursing Certificate at NCMC

Davenport’s partnership with North Central Michigan College will not be the only option for students at NCMC. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the dean of nursing and health sciences at North Central Michigan College (NCMC) noticed that the state needed nurses at every level, from entry-level to highly specialized. This set NCMC’s practical nursing certificate program into motion.

In addition to an associate’s degree, students may pursue a nursing certificate from NCMC. This certificate, launched in 2023, allows students to work as LPNs after three semesters.

To earn a Practical Nursing (PN) certificate, students complete a mix of traditional lecture and simulation labs, as well as on-site training at ten clinical facilities.

$10,000 Nursing Scholarship

Davenport is offering further financial incentives for this new program. The first 30 nurses to graduate from NCMC and enroll in Davenport University’s BSN program will be eligible to receive a scholarship of up to $10,000.

This scholarship is available for nursing students at Davenport who graduated from NCMC within the last five years and have a current nursing license.

$2 Million Grant from Michigan

Funding for these new partnerships comes from a state-approved initiative of $56 million to create nursing pathway partnerships between community colleges and four-year institutions. The governor approved these funds to “support the development of programs for nurses with associate degrees to complete their bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) on community college campuses.”

This funding is allocated so each four-year institution can receive $2 million in grant funding.

The University of Michigan at Flint has also chosen to participate in this initiative by partnering with three community colleges: Monroe County, Lansing, and Wayne County.

Cynthia McCurren, the dean of UM Flint’s School of Nursing, spoke optimistically about this new program. She stated, “We are motivated by our shared vision to leverage the assets of both of our programs of nursing to ensure ADN/BSN graduates are ready to transform health care and promote a culture of health for all.”

The Bottom Line

The nursing degree pathway partnership between Davenport and NCMC, alongside the state funding that facilitated it, showcases a commitment to growing the nursing workforce through sustainable, convenient programs for students.

Creating new nursing staff is a major part of preparing for the continued nursing shortage in the U.S. As healthcare facilities and new legislation mandate sustainable working practices for these nurses’ future, we can create an industry that prioritizes nurses and the direct care they provide patients. 

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