St. Norbert College and Bellin College of Nursing forge nursing partnership

Facebook / Tweet

From St. Norbert College, February 7, 2007
by Mike Counter, mike.counter@snc.edu, (920) 403-3089

St. Norbert College and Bellin College of Nursing announce an academic partnership starting in the fall of 2007. Students will now have the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Bellin College of Nursing with a St. Norbert College liberal arts foundation and living experience. The partnership provides more choices and opportunities for students interested in health services, especially those who value a liberal arts foundation and a residential environment.

"In an age of scarce resources and in a time when Wisconsin desperately needs more nurses, this is a marvelous win-win for Bellin College of Nursing and St. Norbert," said St. Norbert College President William J. Hynes. "Collaborating together, we are able to combine the breadth of a liberal arts education with the professional expertise of nursing, creating ethical leaders and health professionals who can improve the life of our community." According to projections by the Department of Workforce Development, registered nurses are fifth among occupations with the most average annual job openings in Wisconsin. Furthermore, Wisconsin hospitals are projected to face a 13 percent shortage of nurses by 2020. Students will be enrolled at both St. Norbert College and Bellin College of Nursing, taking their first full year of courses on the St. Norbert campus from both St. Norbert and Bellin faculty. Students will live on St. Norbert College's campus throughout their four-year experience. They will also be able to take advantage of what the campus has to offer, including all the leadership development opportunities of the St. Norbert College residential and student life programs. Most labs are taught at Bellin Hospital and clinicals occur at local nursing homes. Other nursing courses, sophomore through senior years, will be on the Bellin College of Nursing campus. "The national nursing shortage provides a challenge and an opportunity for Bellin College of Nursing to expand these nursing educational opportunities for students who attend St. Norbert College," said Jane Muhl, president/CEO of Bellin College of Nursing. "Educational institutions in the Green Bay area have a rich tradition of partnering with one another to provide excellence in all areas, but particularly in nursing education. Bellin College of Nursing is pleased to extend our partnerships with St. Norbert College." This partnership offers exceptional opportunities for nursing students: