Historically Black Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee, is partnering with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Under the agreement, Lane graduates can gain admission to bachelor’s degree programs in nursing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at UT Health Science Center Charleen McNeill explained the various routes available within the pathway partnership, each varying in length and rigor depending on the academic needs of a student. “The first pathway is the accelerated pathway, the accelerated baccalaureate degree in nursing. It’s one year, it’s pretty intensive as you can imagine, and it’s for students who already have a degree,” Dr. McNeill said. “The other is the traditional BSN, which is the same degree, it’s just at a little bit slower pace, so it takes two years to complete that degree.”
The third pathway entails one of two pipelines a student can follow: BSN to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or the BSN to Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) option.
“It’s important for nursing to be representative of the populations that we serve, and so partnering with an HBCU like Lane provides an avenue for students that we really need in nursing to serve the public,” Dr. McNeill added.
Melanie Van Stry, chair of the Division of Natural and Physical Sciences and professor of biology at Lane College, stated that “I’m really super excited because we have so many students that are interested in a career in nursing and before we didn’t have a direct admission process so we would have to try to find programs they would fit in. This is going to be great because they will have opportunities at Lane, and also to meet and work with UT Health Science Center faculty before they get there so they’ll have an easier transition.”
Dr. Van Stry holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Boston College. She earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Boston University School of Medicine.
