Contact: Katryn Conlin, Communications Director
612-229-5659, [email protected]
For Immediate Release
MSC Southeast Red Wing campus welcomes first cohort of WSU RN-BSN students
Number of enrolled students substantially surpasses expectations
(Red Wing, MN) January 17, 2018 -- For associate degree nurses -- also known as registered nurses -- earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing can become the pathway to a more challenging career with increased responsibilities and rewards.
Winona State University has developed a successful RN to BSN completion program, which has just expanded to include the Red Wing area. The first group of students came to the MSC Southeast Red Wing campus on January 9, 2018 for orientation.
Jennifer Timm, Assistant Professor at Winona State University and Co-Coordinator of the RN-BSN program, met with 28 students who are beginning the program.
"This is our very first cohort in Red Wing. Our home base is Rochester and we have a satellite campus in La Crescent. Now we have a northern campus here in Red Wing," she says. "The majority of the students who come to the RN-BS program are already working, so now they're coming back to school to achieve the baccalaureate."
According to Jennifer, the new cohort ranges from students who are a year or two out of their associate degree program to nurses who are coming back with close to 10 years in the field. Several of the students are graduates of Minnesota State College Southeast.
Dr. William J. McBreen, WSU's Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences, says enrollment in the new program "substantially surpasses our expectations."
"This was planned as a soft start to the Red Wing site, and we only expected about eight students for this first course," he said, adding that there is an opportunity for more students to enroll this fall. "Applications for a Fall 2018 start are still being accepted through July. The program in Red Wing can accommodate up to 50 students."
In the RN-BS completion program, hybrid/blended classes combine online study with classroom/lab study at the Red Wing campus. Although the face-to-face component of the coursework takes place at MSC Southeast, enrollment in the program is managed through Winona State University and classes are taught by WSU faculty.
Jennifer Timm stresses the importance of offering the RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing throughout Southeast Minnesota. "Rural areas have a very difficult time getting nurses at any level of education. The Institute of Medicine recommends and encourages that 80% of our nurses be educated to the baccalaureate degree. That's why RN-BS completion programs in rural settings are so important."
"We are very excited to see our partnership with Winona State University to offer a bachelor's completion program getting off the ground!" says Dr. Leslie Bleskachek, MSC Southeast Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services. "We hope this will be the first step in many future collaborations."
For more information about the RN-BS completion program or to apply for admission, email [email protected] or call 507-285-7349 (800-366-5418, extension 7349).
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About Minnesota State College Southeast
Minnesota State College Southeast is a two-year technical and community college that prepares students for a lifetime of learning by providing education for employment, skill enhancement, retraining, and transfer, to meet the needs of students and the community. The Winona campus opened in 1949, merging with the Red Wing campus in 1992 and updating its name to Minnesota State College Southeast in 2016 with the change of mission to offer both technical training and the associate of arts degree. Minnesota State College Southeast is a member of Minnesota State. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.one.
About Winona State University
Founded in 1858, Winona State University is a comprehensive, regional public university with just over 8,100 students on campuses in Winona and Rochester. The oldest member of the Minnesota State system, WSU offers more than 80 undergraduate, pre-professional, licensure, graduate and doctorate programs in five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Science & Engineering. Winona State is ranked as the second public institution in Minnesota by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges," has been named among the "Best in the Midwest" by The Princeton Review for 13 years in a row, and has been featured as one of America's 100 Best College Buys for quality and value for 21 consecutive years. The university's mission is to enhance the intellectual, social, cultural and economic vitality of the people and communities we serve: a community of learners improving our world. For more information, visit winona.edu.