From left, Chamberlain College of Nursing healthcare development specialist June Dunham and VGCC Nursing department chair Erica Jastrow celebrate their institutions’ partnership. (VGCC photo)
Vance-Granville Community College and Chamberlain College of Nursing recently formed a partnership that will help graduates of VGCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program transition to complete a bachelor’s degree in Nursing through distance education. The VGCC Board of Trustees officially approved the agreement with Chamberlain at its July 21 meeting.
June Dunham, a healthcare development specialist from Chamberlain, visited VGCC’s Main Campus earlier this year to inform students about the new partnership. Through Chamberlain’s “RN to BSN” degree option, a Registered Nurse who graduated from VGCC will be able to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) online within as few as three semesters.
Based in Illinois, the 125-year-old Chamberlain College of Nursing has campuses across the country as well as distance education programs. Most of its students work full-time in the health-care field, Dunham said. “I strongly encourage each of you to obtain at least a BSN, and possibly continue to earn a master’s or doctoral degree,” she added. “More and more hospitals across the country are requiring nurses to have bachelor’s degrees. We will help you make the transition, because we want you to succeed and graduate.”
This bilateral “articulation agreement,” as such partnerships that allow students to transfer credits are known, joins others already established between VGCC and four-year colleges and universities. VGCC is only the second North Carolina community college to sign such an agreement with Chamberlain, following the College of the Albemarle. Because of the educational partnership, VGCC graduates will receive a ten-percent savings on tuition at Chamberlain, as well as a waiver of the application fee and a complimentary official transcript evaluation, which helps incoming students plan their education before they enroll.
“This partnership will give Vance-Granville Nursing students another academic pathway to pursue, so that they might grow as professionals and succeed in the changing health-care system,” said Erica Jastrow, chair of the college’s Nursing department. “VGCC graduates will be well-prepared to take advantage of Chamberlain’s flexible online program, because they have likely already taken online and hybrid courses here as part of their associate degree.”
Students and graduates seeking more information about transfer opportunities may contact Erica Jastrow at (252) 738-3457 or visit chamberlain.edu/vgcc.