Oklahoma needs nurses. OCU is offering scholarships, fast-track program to fill gap
In an effort to bring more nurses into the field, Oklahoma City University is launching a path for students to receive a nursing degree in just one year.
The accelerated program is the state's first and only in-person 12-month Bachelor of Science in nursing degree, according to a news release. The school hopes the program will help address a critical nursing shortage being felt in Oklahoma and across the nation.
The degree track is open to any student with a non-nursing associate or bachelor’s degree.
OCU President Kenneth Evans said it’s important that higher education institutions continue to play an active role in helping address societal needs.
“We view ourselves not only as a school, but as a member of our local and broader community,” Evans said. “We have an obligation to help tackle the difficult issues our community faces, and to play a leading role where we can. We feel that we can play a leading role when it comes to the nursing shortage.”
When does OCU's accelerated nursing program start?
The first group of students will start classes in January, and the second group will start in the fall of 2024.
Courses are offered in eight-week blocks.
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In a previous effort to combat the nursing shortage, the school announced in February the Saints and Stars Program. This allows some OCU nursing students to work part-time with SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital while receiving scholarships and tuition discounts during their junior and senior years of college.
OCU also offers a variety of nursing programs and degrees, with on-campus and online options.
Scholarships available for OCU accelerated nursing program
The school also announced "substantial scholarships" for nearly every student accepted in the program.
The competitive $15,000 Kramer Way Scholarship is available to at least 10 students who start the program in January.
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And any student with a college transfer GPA of at least 3.0 will automatically receive nearly $10,000 in scholarships. Those with a 3.6 GPA or higher will receive more than $17,000 in scholarships.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City University offering nursing scholarship, 1-year program
