A program two years in the making, Monmouth College is partnering with OSF HealthCare in establishing the Monmouth College-OSF 3+1 Nursing Program, explains President Dr. Clarence Wyatt:
“We all know the tremendous shortage of nurses in our area and across the state. There are 15,000 open nursing positions in the state of Illinois right now. Over 55 percent of the nurses in the state are over the age of 55 and a significant portion of them express their intent to retire. We are partnering with OSF HealthCare to create a really distinctive nursing education program. Students will enroll at Monmouth College, they will complete either a degree in Biology, Biopsychology, or Health Science in Human Movement in three years, and then in the fourth year, St. Francis Medical Center College of Nursing will teach their accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program on our campus. So really what this means is that a student can get a BS degree, a BSN degree in four years, on the same campus, for the price of one degree.”
Dr. Wyatt informs student recruitment for the Monmouth-OSF 3+1 Nursing Program is underway, with the first cohort entering in the Fall Semester of 2025.
An exciting collaboration between Monmouth College, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing and OSF HealthCare will bring a new nursing program to Monmouth, Illinois.
OSF HealthCare and Monmouth College have established the Monmouth College – OSF 3+1 nursing program. Upon approval of accrediting agencies, students will complete a degree from Monmouth College in either biology, biopsychology or health science and human movement in three years. In the fourth year, students will complete the Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing’s one-year accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, all on the Monmouth College campus.
“Monmouth College is proud and excited to work with OSF HealthCare and the Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing to establish this innovative 3+1 nursing education program,” said Dr. Clarence R. Wyatt, President of Monmouth College. “Our collaboration puts Monmouth College and OSF HealthCare on the forefront of the sort of collaborations that higher education can and should pursue. By better serving the aspirations of our students and educating desperately needed health care professionals, Monmouth College, OSF HealthCare, and the Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing are contributing to the quality of life of communities throughout our region and state and will do so for many years to come.”
Participants in the innovative program will experience the combination of an exceptional residential liberal arts and sciences college and a high-quality college of nursing.
This program brings together two of the region’s strongest organizations to provide opportunities for students and to address the critical shortage of nurses.
Graduates of the Monmouth College-OSF nursing program will complete two degrees in four years and be ready to pursue their careers in health care and serve a vital need in the region.
To celebrate this occasion, Monmouth College and OSF HealthCare hosted a ceremony announcing the cooperative program on May 9 in the Mellinger Commons of the Center for Science and Business on the Monmouth College campus.
***Courtesy of Matt Sheehan, Media Relations Coordinator OSF HealthCare***
