There will soon be a one-stop-shop for nursing students.
It's a one of a kind program in all of Texas-right here in Abilene.
"We'll be the first in the state to have this educational, academic highway," said Annette Smith, dean of instruction at Cisco College.
The new nursing program is an alliance between Cisco College and Texas Tech University, offering students the opportunity to complete a number of degrees through one program.
"They'll start as an LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) they can look at the track for the Associate Degree or they can look at the track for a Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree," said Dr. Pearl Merritt, regional dean of the Health and Sciences School of Nursing at Texas Tech University.
The partnership is mainly due to the high demand for nurses with four year degrees.
There's already a national goal to have 80 percent of all nurses earn their bachelors by 2020.
Less than half of nurses in Texas fall into that category.
"One of the initiatives in nursing today is that we have nurses that they're continuing their education but not everybody can afford to do that and that's really the mission of a community college," said Smith.
"It's really exciting because were able to get our per-requisites prior to going to Texas Tech and so it makes it that much easier on a person who say is paying for it herself," said nursing student Tanisha Williams.
Which is why the hearing about the program is so appealing to students like Tanisha Williams who will vie for one of the twenty spots for next semester.
"I was very excited that meant that its just getting a little bit easier and all about school now," said Williams.
Faculty expect the program to begin this fall.
It's a one of a kind program in all of Texas-right here in Abilene.
"We'll be the first in the state to have this educational, academic highway," said Annette Smith, dean of instruction at Cisco College.
The new nursing program is an alliance between Cisco College and Texas Tech University, offering students the opportunity to complete a number of degrees through one program.
"They'll start as an LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) they can look at the track for the Associate Degree or they can look at the track for a Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree," said Dr. Pearl Merritt, regional dean of the Health and Sciences School of Nursing at Texas Tech University.
The partnership is mainly due to the high demand for nurses with four year degrees.
There's already a national goal to have 80 percent of all nurses earn their bachelors by 2020.
Less than half of nurses in Texas fall into that category.
"One of the initiatives in nursing today is that we have nurses that they're continuing their education but not everybody can afford to do that and that's really the mission of a community college," said Smith.
"It's really exciting because were able to get our per-requisites prior to going to Texas Tech and so it makes it that much easier on a person who say is paying for it herself," said nursing student Tanisha Williams.
Which is why the hearing about the program is so appealing to students like Tanisha Williams who will vie for one of the twenty spots for next semester.
"I was very excited that meant that its just getting a little bit easier and all about school now," said Williams.
Faculty expect the program to begin this fall.
