Belmont College, Wheeling University Partner
ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- Belmont College and Wheeling University have announced a new partnership to provide nursing and mental health/psychology students the opportunity to pursue their accreditation smoothly across the two universities.
On Tuesday, Belmont College President Paul Gasparro and Wheeling University President Ginny Favede announced a transfer agreement allowing students to complete two years at Belmont College, then two at Wheeling University for a four-year degree.
Students will be able to complete an associate of science degree in nursing or mental health at Belmont College and transfer to Wheeling and earn a bachelor of science in those fields.
Gasparro said Belmont College has worked with K-12 schools to bring prospective students into the college, and this is another step.
"Anytime we can continue that seamlessness with a university, especially one with such stature, you can't do anything better for the students," he said. He said this would prove an advantage to students in terms of cost, location and simplicity.
"Over the years, there's been more and more demand for nurses with a bachelor's degree," Gasparro said. Many students begin work in their fields once they have earned an associate's degree.
"It enables them to stay in the valley, and it helps us address the health care shortage by providing a seamless transition and an ease of transition," Favede said. "If they're already working, they can continue to work in the valley supporting the need here while acquiring their BSN."
Gasparro and Favede added Belmont College and Wheeling University have entered into transfer agreements before, but the COVID-19 pandemic has driven home the importance of these professions.
"This particularly benefits our community, because we have a health care crisis in this nation, but we especially suffer from that here in Appalachia," Favede said. "The opportunity to have a RN to BSN seamlessly from Belmont College to Wheeling University, to have an opportunity to increase their skills in a career in nursing at a time when there is a great need in general. We are still struggling with COVID and the health ramifications of that."
Gasparro said the area is still dealing with an opioid epidemic, and health professionals continue to be needed.
"Only a pandemic could have overshadowed the crisis," Favede said.
Favede emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two colleges.
"It's important for higher education to work together," Favede said. "We all have the same mission, which is education, and the ability to work together and not complete provides better access to education in the valley."