Ursuline College, the liberal arts educational institution for women in Pepper Pike, Ohio, has entered into a partnership agreement with Lakeland Community College. Under the agreement, students can earn an associate’s degree in nursing in five semesters and then complete a bachelor’ degree in nursing in as little as two additional semesters. Students in the program will attend class throughout the year, including online offerings during the summer months.
Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio, enrolls nearly 8,000 students. Women make up 58 percent of the student body. The college awarded 120 associate’s degrees in nursing during the 2014-15 academic year. Less than 30 percent of students who earn associate’s degrees in nursing go on to earn a bachelor’s degree. The new partnership with the Breen School of Nursing at Ursuline College should serve to increase that percentage. Currently, only 31 percent of nurses in Ohio hold bachelor’s degrees.
Patricia A. Sharpnack, dean of the nursing school at Ursuline College, says that “these affiliations open new doors of opportunity for students at a time when the region’s nursing shortage is severe and growing. This dual enrollment program will help graduate more nurses with advanced education.”
Dr. Sharpnack is a graduate of Ursuline College. She holds a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Akron in Ohio and a doctor of nursing practice degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.