Kellogg Community College cuts cost for nursing students to get bachelor’s degree thanks to grant

Kellogg Community College students who are pursuing further education in the field of nursing are seeing the cost of earning their bachelor’s degree cut in half thanks to new funding.

The state of Michigan announced last summer that it would be awarding a $2 million ADN-to-BSN Completion Grant. The money will be used to provide scholarship funds so that some Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree graduates from Kellogg Community College will be able to take the necessary classes to be able to transfer to Western Michigan University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program without having to pay tuition.

Last October, Kellogg Community College allocated their new grant funding of $171,000 to reduce the cost of Western Michigan University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing by half. That means the scholarship will cover as many as 15 of the 30 required credits to come away with a degree.

In an article posted on Kellogg Community College’s website, the school’s ADN-BSN Data Analyst and Liaison Rachel Burton was quoted about the grant, saying, “WMU now stands as the most affordable BSN program among the 11 closest programs to KCC, making it an even more attractive option for students. This decision aligns with the grant’s goal of removing financial barriers and ensuring students have access to high-quality, cost-effective pathways to complete their BSN.”

In order to be admitted into Western Michigan’s BSN Program, interested students must complete a number of specific general education courses; however, a few of those courses are required for students to earn the Associate in Applied Science in Nursing degree at KCC in the first place. 

The entire cost of tuition and required fees for as many as five or these courses at Kellogg Community College will be covered by the ADN-BSN scholarship, equating to a savings of nearly $3,000 for incoming BSN transfer students.

The only thing interested students need to do for the scholarship is to complete one year of ADN coursework, which are classes NURS 150 and 155, or to be a graduate of one of the college’s Associate of Applied Science in Nursing programs. Registered Nurses who pass their remaining required general courses at KCC will then be allowed to apply to the BSN Program at Western Michigan University. That program is hosted completely online through the Bronson School of Nursing.

Last summer was when some eligible students first began taking advantage of the new program. So far, 40 Kellogg Community College Nursing graduates are taking part in the program supported by the grant. Five of the participating students will be beginning their RN to BSN classwork at Western this spring. Any students who are interested in taking part in this opportunity are encouraged to sign up as soon as they are able, as the grant funds must be spent by September 30 of next year.

More information about the program, including the list of required forms and eligible courses for students who want to take part in the ADN to BSN program, can be found on KCC’s BSN website.

Representatives from Western Michigan University can be reached by calling 269-387-8411 or by emailing WMU Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications Paula M. Davis at paula.davis@wmich.edu.

More information about Kellogg Community College in general can be found at the school’s website.

More information about Western Michigan University can be found at the school’s website.