Score an Excellent Higher Education in Williston, ND

Steve Woit/Williston State College

A skilled and readily available workforce plays a pivotal role in the Williston region’s economic development efforts. Leading the charge in cultivating that skilled workforce is Williston State College (WSC), which partners with other institutions and industry leaders to provide affordable, practical training programs and quality higher education in Williston. Thanks to those efforts, students are equipped with the skills to meet the evolving demands of the local and global job market. 

Close to Home: Higher Education in Williston

“Williston State College is uniquely located in far northwest North Dakota. The next closest college or university is two hours away, so whether you’re talking about a certificate program or a two-year associate degree or workforce development, we’re it,” says Bernell Hirning, Williston State College president.

“Our goal is to keep our workforce in Williston and keep them from having to go to Fargo and Grand Forks to get trained because when they do that, they tend to not come back. What we hear from our students and what we hear from the employers is that if you can educate students here, then they will stay here.” 

WSC’s ambitious $37 million plan to construct a state-of-the-art medical training facility is a prime example of the college’s commitment to retaining local talent and meeting employers’ growing workforce needs. The new facility will allow students to complete advanced medical training, including clinical work, in Williston, eliminating the need to pursue education elsewhere. 

“The conversation about building the health care building began at a health care advisory board meeting. One of the comments during that meeting was that health care providers in northwest North Dakota want to expand, but they don’t have the trained workforce to do so. As the only higher education representative at the table, I took that as a charge for the college to meet that need,” Hirning says. 

Williston State College

2+2 = 4-Year Degree in Williston

Another way the college is working to meet evolving workforce demands is by collaborating with other higher education institutions through 2+2 programs to offer students a seamless matriculation from a two-year to a four-year degree. For example, a partnership with the University of North Dakota’s College of Engineering & Mines allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering without leaving the Williston area. 

WSC has over 30 articulation agreements with four-year partners, both within the university system as well as with the University of Mary. Those 2+2 agreements guarantee WSC students the opportunity to earn a four-year degree. 

“They take the exact courses they need to transfer to our sister, four-year institutions for their junior and senior year so they’re not wasting any credits,” Hirning says. 

He says while many of the 2+2 courses are offered virtually, the college is working on increasing the number of in-person courses. 

“We have added three teacher prep programs with Valley City State University that are connected to our child care learning center that we have on campus here,” he says. “We also entered into an agreement with the University of Mary to deliver four bachelor’s and one master’s degree programs here at the college in person. And what we have found is that this part of the state has a very strong appetite for in-person programs.” 

Collegiate Collaboration 

The University of Mary has a satellite campus in Williston and offers bachelor’s degree programs in nursing, elementary education, business administration and business management. 

“We’re not a new presence to northwest North Dakota,” says Rachael Brash, vice president for public affairs at the University of Mary, a private university with its main campus in Bismarck. “We’ve been serving that region for several years, but having a physical location in Williston was important for us to be able to directly address the workforce needs in that region. Williston State College is a fantastic partner for us.” 

Generous scholarships and flexible class schedules make the programs especially attractive to working adults. Students who go to WSC can then work toward their bachelor’s degree and receive that while they’re working. 

“Our schedule is built around the working adult, and they can complete their bachelor’s degree for under $5,000. Without the partnership of Williston State College, this simply wouldn’t work,” Brash says. “The reason that we’re there is so that people don’t have to leave the Williston area to go on and get their bachelor’s degree or their master’s degree. That does not serve that area well, and we firmly believe that education is an anchor in a community. It certainly influences quality of life, and it provides a workforce that’s obviously needed.”