Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series of articles about Southern’s exciting partnership program with the New Haven public school system to introduce high school students to college degree programs in industries that are in need of future employees. This article focuses on a nursing career pathway.
Calling Future Nurses: A College Pathway
A group of educators are planting the seeds for homegrown teachers, healthcare professionals, and business leaders through a partnership program with New Haven Public Schools.
The career pathways are being provided through college-level courses for high school students, giving them a jump on their college education and future careers.
“Everyone is conscious of student success. The more students we can prepare to be confident and ready for college, the better not just for Southern but for our state,” said Dr. Nilvio Perez, director of First-Year Admissions.
Together with Dina Natalino, supervisor of College and Career Pathways for New Haven Public Schools, Perez and Dr. Trudy Milburn, associate vice president for academic affairs, developed a plan to create early college pathways. They began with a nursing track.
The Certified Nurse Assistant Program Set the Tone
In its first year, the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program is open to sophomores, who begin a health career pathway in which they can earn college credits. With a target goal of graduating 100 students per year, Southern’s CNA certificate program also is a broader way for students to explore other healthcare professions.
“There are a lot more commonalities in health care professions than there are differences,” said Michele Vancour, executive director of healthcare programs for the College of Health and Human Services. “There’s such a great need for people to occupy these healthcare positions.”
The CNA pathway instructs students on the holistic approach of healthcare and how it provides a variety of opportunities for career roles. A nursing class may include guest speakers on speech language pathology or recreational therapy. A fresh perspective can help students envision a career they may never have known about.
Vancour recalled a meeting with a student advisee who was enlightened by the possibilities.
“Through a couple of questions, she was able to go from, ‘I want to be a nurse,’ to ‘I want to work in healthcare.’ She’s starting to learn there are other opportunities,” Vancour said.
“Not everyone is going to end up being a nurse or a doctor. It’s important to think about other health professions that do other things that might be a better fit for the student,” she said.
The CNA pathway program has swiftly grown. Natalino said the CNA pathway opened last summer and quickly filled the 20 available seats. “In the fall, students were knocking down the doors asking, when are we offering it again?” she said.
That success led to another 40 students enrolling this spring, to be followed by another 40 students this summer. By the end of that period, the CNA program will have produced 100 students. The first cohort’s record bears the sign of success: 18 out of 20 passed the course.
The high school students are excited and motivated, Vancouver said. A handful of students at New Haven’s Hillhouse High School spoke at a meeting on the program, citing aspirations of becoming a surgeon, medical doctor, and nurses, with specialties in pediatrics and treating cancer, she said.
“The students are amazing. The level of work they’re doing is beyond our expectations,” Vancour said. More importantly, she said, the students are gaining confidence that they can be successful in college.
The CNA program also opens the door for those students to enter the workforce, Natalino said. “The CNA program gives them a credential to start working in a nursing home or a hospital, as well as learn about other opportunities,” Natalino said.
Dr. Maria Krol, chair of the School of Nursing, said the career pathways program has created a new approach to getting a college degree.
For many students, particularly those in underrepresented groups, it can help make college more affordable. Getting college credits while in high school can lead to a degree in a shorter period. The cost and time savings add up.
“Some students who enter our program at the sophomore level will finish in three years because they took college courses that met the criteria,” Krol said.
Another benefit to the program is its location.
“The reality is people need to earn money to sustain their lives. This is an opportunity to get a college degree that’s affordable at your back door,” Krol said.
For more information on the career pathways partnership program, contact Dr. Nilvio Perez at perezn18@southernct.edu.
