Gogebic Community College and Northern Michigan University partner to expand nursing education in Michigan’s Western UP
Michigan’s state budget has allowed for a partnership between Gogebic Community College and Northern Michigan University to allow nursing students to earn bachelor’s degrees without leaving the GCC campus.
A new partnership between Gogebic Community College and Northern Michigan University has been established with the goal of expanding nursing education in the western end of Michigan’s upper peninsula.
Through this collaboration, students who earn their associate degrees in nursing will be able to take advantage of Northern Michigan University’s education to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees without having to leave the Gogebic Community College campus. This plan was written into Michigan’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget.
The president of Gogebic Community College was quoted in an article on the school’s website about the new partnership, saying, “Gogebic Community College is excited to partner with NMU to bring BSN level education to the Houghton and Ironwood regions. This partnership will build on GCC’s successful Associate Degree Nursing program, and allow students to affordably continue their education close to home. This initiative will help build a more prosperous Michigan.”
Gogebic Community College will receive funding from the state of Michigan to implement the program, which aims to increase the number of registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees in the western Upper Peninsula region.
The Associate Dean and Department Head at Northern Michigan University School of Nursing Kristi Adair also spoke on the partnership, saying, “NMU and GCC schools of nursing have been collaborating for several years to offer the BSN to GCC graduates. This agreement will enhance our partnership and provide a flexible and continuous pathway for working nurses to complete the BSN.”
Students looking to take advantage of this partnership will be able to start in the Fall semester of this year. More information about how to take advantage of the nursing options at Gogebic Community College can visit the school’s website, or contact the school’s Allied Health Programs Coordinator by phone at 906-307-1268 or by email at robinb@gogebic.edu.