GLENVILLE, W.Va. – Glenville State College and Pierpont Community and Technical College recently created an exploratory committee with the goal to launch an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) joint degree program between the two schools.

Provost Michael Waide and Dean Vickie Findley from Pierpont Community and Technical College, Carole Norton, Chief Nursing Officer at Mon Health – Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital, and Leslie D. Perine MSN, RN, RN, Educator from WVU Medicine United Hospital Center recently joined President Dr. Tracy Pellett and Provost Dr. Victor Vega from GSC at a meeting to discuss the program proposal.

“I am confident that GSC and Pierpont will be great partners on this joint venture, just as we have been for other initiatives. This ASN program and its subsequent graduates would meet a significant medical need in central West Virginia. We look forward to partnering on all fronts with health care systems and working with Pierpont to make the best graduates when this program is approved,” said Pellett. “Additionally, the excitement of the possibility of this program has already generated support with a verbal commitment of $1.5 million from a generous donor. This is a tremendous boost and a sign of confidence in our ability to design and support a quality program.”

“The American Association of Colleges of Nursing encourages universities and state colleges to partner with community colleges and offer seamless educational pathways from an associate degree to the baccalaureate degree in nursing,” said Pierpont Provost Michael Waide. “Our discussions have the potential to develop a partnership that follows a growing national trend between universities, state colleges, and community colleges to address the projected shortfall of more than a million nurses in the coming decades.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses are in the top twenty employment categories in West Virginia and, nationally, the Bureau estimates the employment of registered nurses to grow around 15 percent from 2016-2026.

The goal of the committee is to have the joint ASN program on a path to begin admitting students in the fall of 2020 if all accreditation and state approval processes are advanced.