UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT Tyler and Kilgore College Launch Nursing Degree Partnership Program

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June 17, 2014

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

June 17, 2014

Media Contact: Beverley Golden
Director
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.566.7303 or 903.330.0495 (cell)

As part of a recent partnership initiative designed to expand opportunities for student success in the Gregg County area, The University of Texas at Tyler and Kilgore College have launched the Roadmap to Success Program.

“Our nursing program at the Longview University Center and Kilgore College’s nursing program have been strong partners for many years. We are excited to announce the next phase of collaboration, which will help high school students transition seamlessly from Kilgore College to the bachelor’s degree nursing program at UT Tyler's Longview University Center,” said UT Tyler President Rodney H. Mabry.

Nursing is the first discipline in this program, and students will be guided from dual credit high school programs to the sophomore year at Kilgore College and through bachelor’s degree completion with UT Tyler.

“We developed the Roadmap to Success-Nursing program in response to the desires and needs of the citizens of Longview and Gregg County. Students following this plan will be able to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing without leaving Gregg County. In fact, a great majority of the course work will be completed right here in Longview,” he added.

The two institutions are working together to explicitly outline the courses to take at each institution to earn an associate and bachelor’s degree in the most efficient and affordable way possible.

Visit the 'Roadmap to Success-Nursing' homepage for more information.

“We’ve been in a detailed discussion for a long time about the linkage between the two institutions to ensure that students can seamlessly transition to the UT Tyler BSN Program after completing their nursing prerequisite coursework at KC,” Holda said.

Nursing is the fastest growing occupation in the country, and nurses make up the majority of the health care industry. That number is increasing, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be 581,500 more nursing jobs by 2018.

“We are extremely excited about the opportunity that this program offers our students. It is outstanding that students can pursue the Bachelor of Nursing degree while being able to stay close to home,” said Cindy Gabehart, Pine Tree High School principal.

“While this partnership will greatly benefit the students of Longview, it also has the potential to help every student whose high school offers dual-credit courses provided by Kilgore College. Our efforts will demonstrate that collaboration between high schools, community colleges and universities is possible and the result will be expanded opportunities for our graduates,” Holda said.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 7,500 high-ability students at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.

UT Tyler/Kilgore College Partnership: (From left) Dr. Bill Holda, Kilgore College president; Cindy Gabehart, Pine Tree High School principal; Dr. Rodney H. Mabry, UT Tyler president; and Dr. Van Patterson, UT Tyler LUC director.