A new agreement between Taylor University and Parkview Health plans to introduce a new program at the university –one that’s been in high demand for potential students.
“Nursing has been high on the strategic agenda multiple times at Taylor for probably about the last 10 or 15 years,” Provost Jewerl Maxwell said. “Taylor had just never made the commitment, and a lot of it was because of financial reasons. It is significantly expensive to launch a nursing program.”
Through this partnership, Maxwell said, Parkview will provide clinical sites for nursing students and is providing classroom space, equipment and funding the dean of nursing and clinical nursing instructor positions. The program will also offer clinicals in the summer, which will give athletes more ways to participate.
Tami Brigle, Parkview’s public relations manager, said the partnership began at the Global Leadership Summit last fall, and after both organizations explained their goals, it became clear that they both could benefit from a partnership.
“Taylor University has a history in educating health professionals,” Brigle said. “As the region’s largest employer, Parkview is interested in supporting the growth of our region’s workforce. Through this partnership, we believe students who are attracted to this region as a Taylor student can be retained as a Parkview nurse.”
Maxwell said that the university hopes to launch the new program in 2024, but it has to reach accreditation requirements through the Indiana State Board of Nursing.
He said the state board is “very engaged in the process,” looking at the curriculum that will be provided, the personnel and their credentials, and they also do at least one campus and facilities visit to ensure an institution has enough clinical sites for students.
“Parkview has guaranteed that for our first three cohorts, they can meet the demands of all clinical sites,” Maxwell said. “In nursing, there are a variety of different specialties, and you have to do clinical rotations in each of those specialties. Parkview has guaranteed all of the specialties, so that was one of the big hurdles for programs that are starting.”
Maxwell believes there’s been a lot of excitement around the new program, and he thinks there is a high level of interest from prospective students. He also said the university is anticipating a significant increase in enrollment, especially around 2025 to 2026.
“Even internally, there are current students who are saying that they wish they could be part of this, but they can’t because of the timing,” Maxwell said. “Our athletic department has been really supportive because they see this as an opportunity to recruit athletes who have been interested in nursing and playing sports at Taylor, but choose not to come here because we don’t have the major they’re interested in.”
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