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  • 29 Who Shine

STCC, Westfield State University Sign Pact for Nursing Degree Partnership

October 4, 2016

Westfield State University president shakes hands with STCC presidentSPRINGFIELD, Mass. – An agreement between Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and Westfield State University will forge a convenient and affordable path for STCC nursing graduates to earn their bachelor’s degrees at the STCC campus.

In a ceremony today at STCC’s Scibelli Hall, STCC President Dr. John B. Cook and Westfield State President Dr. Ramon S. Torrecilha officially signed the “articulation agreement” creating the STCC to Westfield State RN-to-BSN (bachelor of science in nursing) program.

Commissioner of Higher Education for Massachusetts Dr. Carlos E. Santiago was among the speakers at the signing ceremony.

Administrators from both institutions said they were thrilled about the opportunities the partnership provides.

Dr. Shelley Tinkham, interim dean of the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education at Westfield State, said the program offers flexibility for registered nurses who need 120 course credits to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing in order to advance in their careers.

“It’s a win for us. It’s a win for the community college and a win for the state,” Tinkham said. “It’s an example of what we can do when we collectively try to solve problems together and develop something that is student friendly. I’m very excited about this.”

Added Christopher Scott, interim dean of STCC’s School of Health and Patient Simulation: “We’re truly ecstatic about this opportunity.”

STCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Arlene Rodriguez said, “This is a magnificent agreement that will be an enormous benefit to our students. The forward thinking that brought this agreement into being is a credit to both STCC and WSU.”

Westfield State University Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Marsha Marotta said, "This is exactly the kind of program that Westfield State University seeks to establish to fulfill our mission. This partnership is another opportunity for the university to put into action our values and commitment to accessible, affordable degrees. We look forward to even more opportunities with STCC in the future."

STCC and Westfield State have transfer agreements with other institutions, but this new partnership creates the first hybrid RN-to-BSN completion program between two public institutions in Western Massachusetts. A hybrid program combines online and on-campus teaching.

Under the agreement, STCC nursing graduates with their associate degrees can transfer up to 90 course credits into the BSN degree program at Westfield State. Instructors from Westfield will teach evening courses at STCC, but the majority of course work will be completed online.

The $10,500 price tag for 30 course credits makes the RN-to-BSN program the most affordable pathway of its kind offered in the area, said administrators at both colleges. The affordability – coupled with the convenience of holding courses at STCC – represent a significant selling point for STCC nursing graduates who may have limited resources, they said.

“Students will take their courses here at STCC for their bachelor degree,” Scott said. “This will give them time to get their feet under them financially and still achieve their goals, all while staying in a comfortable environment that helps them succeed.”

The partnership between the two institutions offers greater flexibility to the growing number of “adult learners,” or students who are typically the age of 25 or older, Tinkham said.

“These programs provide them with that flexibility, and the economy is demanding that these degrees are produced. We need to be responsive as institutions and do things differently and in creative ways,” she said.

STCC nursing student Emily Swindelles, of Ellington, Conn., has always planned to pursue a bachelor’s degree after graduating next May. But as a mother of three small children who works 30 hours a week, Swindelles said she needed a flexible and affordable program.

“I would have taken a year off just to make sure that I was financially capable of going back to school, but with the flexibility of this program, I think I will be able to manage both school and work and family,” she said.

She cited the hybrid nature of the program as a major draw. The face-to-face classroom interaction is critical for Swindelles, but the flexibility of learning online is also important.

“I know some programs where it’s multiple nights a week or it’s all online, and this is kind of the best of both worlds,” she said. “When I learned about this collaboration, I felt like it was the perfect match for me.”

RN-to-BSN Program Addresses Workforce Development Shortage

The STCC-Westfield State nursing partnership comes on the heels of a state and national goal to increase the number of nurses with bachelor’s degrees in the workforce. While registered nurses can be licensed with an associate degree, many health-care institutions are seeking to hire RNs with bachelor degrees to meet certain requirements.

“There’s been a national call to action from the Institute of Medicine to bring our BSN workforce up to 80 percent by the year 2020,” said Jessica Holden, a nursing instructor at Westfield State and Program Director of the RN-to-BSN program.

Holden said the goal in Massachusetts is to increase the number of BSN nurses from 55 percent in 2010 to 66 percent in 2020, and to reach the national goal of 80 percent by 2025.  The Massachusetts Nursing and Allied Health Workforce Development Plan set these goals, which were implemented by the Massachusetts Action Coalition.

Lisa Fugiel, director of nursing at STCC who has been spearheading the effort at STCC to form the partnership, said the associate degree program at STCC represents an entry point into the profession. STCC has one of the largest and most competitive community college programs in the region, but administrators say it’s critical for students to consider pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

“We want them to continue on,” Fugiel said. “This new program is affordable, and it’s going to be in a location that they’re already familiar with. It’s an easier transition.”

The STCC to Westfield RN-to-BSN program will allow students to transfer up to 90 course credits from STCC to Westfield State University.  Students will need to complete the last 30 credits for their bachelor’s degree, for a total of 120 credits.

To help keep students’ costs down and avoid taking non-transferrable courses, STCC and WSU developed a “curriculum map” for students. The guide shows them what courses they need to take to meet all the requirements for a bachelor’s degree.  As students enter the program, advisors tell them which courses they need to create a streamlined, efficient pathway to a degree.

The nursing programs at STCC and Westfield State are both accredited. The baccalaureate degree in nursing at Westfield State is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). STCC’s associate in science degree in nursing is accredited by Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN©).

About Springfield Technical Community College

Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of Western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC, an Achieving the Dream Leader College, offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, engineering, liberal arts, science and technology continue to provide the most economical options for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of more than 8,700 day, evening, weekend and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.

For more information about STCC, visit www.stcc.edu, www.facebook.com/SpringfieldTechnicalCommunityCollege

Follow @S_T_C_C on Twitter

About Westfield State University

Founded in 1839 by Horace Mann, Westfield State University is an education leader committed to providing every generation of students with a learning experience built on its founding principle as the first public co-educational college in America to offer an education without barrier to race, gender or economic status. This spirit of innovative thinking and social responsibility is forged in a curriculum of liberal arts and professional studies that creates a vital community of engaged learners who become confident, capable individuals prepared for leadership and service to society.

For more information on Westfield State University, visit www.westfield.ma.edu, www.twitter.com/westfieldstate or https://www.facebook.com/WestfieldStateUniversity.

Media contact: Jim Danko, coordinator of media relations, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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