GVSU-MCC Nursing Pathway Fuels Workforce Growth and Enhances Quality of Life in Muskegon, MI

iStock/Jacob Wackerhausen

High quality and accessible health care plays a critical role in building strong, resilient communities. In the Muskegon Lakeshore region, health care education programs like the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and Muskegon Community College (MCC) nursing pathway provide residents with greater access to trained health care professionals. Simultaneously, these initiatives create more opportunities for local students who aspire to live, work and serve within their communities. 

Learn Where You Live 

The GVSU-MCC pathway program allows students to earn an associate degree in nursing from MCC and then seamlessly transition to GVSU to earn their bachelor of science in nursing. 

Lisa Gatti-Arnold, dean of nursing and health programs at MCC, says the program especially benefits nontraditional students who want to live and possibly work close to where they learn. 

“Community college students most often remain in their community even after they graduate. That’s the beauty of MCC partnering with Grand Valley for this program – our graduates are able to stay in the local area to complete their studies,” Gatti-Arnold says. “Grand Valley was also selected for the program because of its reputation in the state as having a first-rate nursing program. We know for nurses, having a bachelor’s degree makes them more versatile and gives them opportunities they might not have had otherwise.” 

Gatti-Arnold says the community also benefits from having more health care professionals – particularly in the nursing field, which is experiencing record shortages across the country. 

Community Service 

“Our health care partners like having bachelor’s-prepared nurses because those nurses can move into many roles. Studies show that when we have more health care workers, we can have a greater continuity of care. That means improved access to care, lower wait times, and increased preventative care and health education,” Gatti- Arnold says. “When we have enough people to take care of each other, it improves the overall health of our entire community.” 

Linda Lewandowski, dean of the Kirkhof College of Nursing at Grand Valley State University, agrees. 

“There is increasing evidence that increasing the proportion of bachelor’s-prepared nurses leads to better patient outcomes and shorter lengths of hospital stays,” Lewandowski says. “We are so pleased to partner with MCC and Trinity Health Muskegon to continue to improve the health and well-being of our community through this program.” 

Priming the Pipeline 

MCC and GVSU also partner with Trinity Health Muskegon to give students valuable hands-on experiences. Gatti-Arnold says nearly every nursing course has a clinical, hands-on component in areas, such as acute care and long-term care. The college also looks to industry partners to advise instructors so that students are learning the skills necessary to succeed. While the ADN to BSN program is vital to the region’s workforce development efforts, MCC begins priming the pipeline even before students step foot on campus. 

“Last semester, for example, we worked with the local Boys and Girls Club. Some of our nursing students visited their after-school program for teens to talk about our nursing school. We even showed them actual lessons that we would give our nursing students to give them a glimpse of what that would look like,” Gatti-Arnold says. “We also give high school students tours of our clinical simulation center.” 

Money Matters 

Another way MCC helps keep a steady pipeline of talent flowing to the region’s in-demand fields is by offering students convenience and affordability. The college participates in the Michigan Reconnect scholarship program for older students returning to school or attending college for the first time. MCC also receives grants from Michigan Works to assist students with tuition. 

“We have some students who come to us – particularly in the medical assisting program – through Michigan Works,” Gatti-Arnold says. “We also have a grant that provides tuition assistance for students in the ADN to BSN program. Then, when they transition to the RN to BSN program at GVSU, they have an opportunity to have their school paid for. We recently entered into an agreement with Trinity Health Muskegon, which has them helping with tuition costs for the final two semesters of the nursing program.”