ARDMORE, Okla., (KTEN)--
Wednesday morning, Murray State College and SouthernTech signed a historic agreement.
The two institutions will work together to help nursing students and graduates further their education.
“They can finish their first two years here at SouthernTech and then have advanced credit to go over to Murray,” SouthernTech’s Superintendent Eric Ward explained. ”So essentially, if a student starts with us in high school, then they will have their RN by the time they are 20 years old.”
Over the past 50 years, Murray State and SouthernTech have shared many students.
Many of SouthernTech’s LPN students successfully completed MSC’s Career Mobility Program (LPN-RN) during that time.
“One student has her Master's degree now, and she started at SouthernTech and came through our career mobility program,” MSC’s Nursing program Director Deann Priddy said. “She got her Bachelor's and then Master's, and now she is teaching the career mobility program, so she is the epitome of success for this collaboration.”
With this agreement, students who finish the LPN program at SouthernTech will no longer be required to take the MSC entrance challenge exam.
“We already had a nurse shortage and healthcare shortage, and now it's even more critical to see what we can do to better facilitate students on their educational highway,” Director of SoTech’s Adult Health Program Alisha Mason said.
Months ago, administrators from both institutions started looking for ways to enhance students' career pathway options.
“Nobody loses momentum, and we can create a better workforce and economy for southern Oklahoma, “ President of Murray State College Tim Faltyn explained. ”Because that is what education should do; lift up the economy for the region it serves.”
Murray State will reserve a minimum of 20 seats per year for SouthernTech’s LPN graduates who meet the criteria.
"The students at our institutions are going to have opportunities they have never had before,” Faltyn said. “As far as the community goes, we will have more nurses in the community, which leads to better health outcomes and a better southern Oklahoma."