BECKLEY, W. Va. — The WVU School of Nursing Beckley Campus recently hosted a signing ceremony at WVU Tech for the inaugural high school participants of the LevelUpWV: Nursing Pathway.
Attended by students, families, school partners, and university representatives, the event recognized and celebrated the first 31 students participating in the pathway.
The LevelUpWV: Nursing Pathway allows high school students to complete the first year of the nursing major during their junior and senior years, helping them complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing in only three years after their high school graduation.
LevelUpWV, a state-funded dual enrollment program, will cover the tuition cost for high school participants in the pathway, creating an affordable and efficient pathway for students interested in nursing to pursue the profession.
“This program represents much more than a recruitment effort,” Beckley Campus Chair Hillary Parcell said. “The Nursing Pathway establishes a sustainable pipeline of future nursing students by creating meaningful partnerships with local high schools and homeschool families throughout southern West Virginia.”
Research shows that BSN-prepared nurses provide better patient outcomes. Nurses with a bachelor’s degree also have greater career advancement opportunities.
Courses for the pathway will be offered online through dual enrollment. Students must maintain their GPAs, as this counts directly toward their college GPA.
Students are not guaranteed a spot in the WVU School of Nursing program; they must apply in the fall of their senior year of high school to the nursing program. If they are accepted, they will enter as sophomores in the program.
Parcell added, “I am excited to continue building upon this foundation and to see the positive impact this initiative will have on nursing education and healthcare throughout southern West Virginia.”
To learn more, please contact Hillary Parcell at heparcell@mail.wvu.edu.