Two Grant County universities are joining forces to train students for one of the fastest-growing and most critically-needed professions in the country – nursing.  As IPR’s Esther Bower reports, Taylor University is offering its first-ever nursing program by working with Indiana Wesleyan University.

Without a nursing program, Taylor University officials say the school has lost students. In order to stay competitive, Taylor has partnered with Indiana Wesleyan for a program that will let students earn two degrees in four years.

Bill Toll is the Dean of the School of Natural and Applied Sciences at Taylor.  He says this partnership simply made sense for the university.

“They’re such a good partner because they’re so close, and we have a lot in common. We know people over there etc., so it just made a lot of sense that that would be where we would start.”

Students can enroll in this program as early as this fall.  At Taylor, they will develop a strong foundation in the sciences.  Then at Indiana Wesleyan, they’ll enter an accelerated nursing. Once finished, students will earn degrees in public health from Taylor and nursing from Indiana Wesleyan.

Current Taylor student, Samantha Korn, knew she wanted to attend Taylor but now says this new program will allow her to study what she is passionate about at a school she already loves.

“Oh, it just makes me so excited. Honestly like a little girl on Christmas. I just am absolutely so excited about it because I get to continue with the professors I’ve already made relationships with. Being able to stay with all the people I love and the school that I love, I’m just so thrilled.”

Barbara Ihrke is the Indiana Wesleyan Vice President for Academic Affairs in Nursing.  In a profession where demand is outgrowing supply, she says this new joint venture helps a societal need.

“We need more nurses. I’m a professional nurse, and I know the shortage there is. There’s a lot of new exciting treatments out there. You know we can treat cancers, we can treat disabilities and everything, but then you have to have healthcare professionals to surround that.”

Depending on how popular the program is after its launch, the next step the schools will look at expanding the number of spots available in the program.