On Tuesday, October 18, Illinois State University President Terri Goss Kinzy and Mennonite College of Nursing Dean Judy Neubrander traveled to Chicago to finalize and celebrate the launch of a new partnership with Malcolm X College (MXC).

This partnership will provide nursing students at Malcolm X College two ways to complete their Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) online with Illinois State University.

The first path—Dual Enrollment—allows students enrolled in MXC’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program to begin working on their BSN by taking online classes simultaneously at ISU’s Mennonite College of Nursing, receiving advising and credit from both schools. Unique features as part of this Dual Enrollment partnership include financial assistance per credit hour on ISU nursing courses taken while dually enrolled and three $1,000 scholarships available to MXC Dual Enrollment students.

The second option—Pathways—allows students pre-admission into ISU’s online RN to BSN program. Accepted students can begin the program up to two years after they graduate with their ADN from MXC.

“We are proud to partner with Malcolm X College to provide improved access for students to earn their BSN,” explains Neubrander. “We need more BSN-prepared nurses to meet the growing health care needs of the nation, especially here in Illinois, and to address the nursing shortage. We look forward to welcoming MXC students to ISU and Mennonite College of Nursing.”

“We are proud to partner with Malcolm X College to provide improved access for students to earn their BSN.”

Dean Judy Neubrander, Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing

“This agreement with Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing gives our students more options to pursue their Bachelors of Science in Nursing and offers a seamless transfer for our nurses,” says Malcolm X College President David Sanders. “This is better access to education for our diverse populations, and we are excited to offer these opportunities to our students. This ISU partnership promises to open up a world of future growth prospects for our graduate nurses and gives us greater ability to expand the number of nursing candidates into the program, and for this we are grateful.”

For more information about Mennonite College of Nursing’s academic partnerships, visit Nursing.IllinoisState.edu.

Shown left to right: Tammy Scott-Brand, Dean of the School of Nursing at Malcolm X College; David Sanders, President of Malcolm X College; Judy Neubrander, Dean of Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing; Terri Goss Kinzy, President of Illinois State University