The University of Olivet is committed to quality education that fits the needs and lifestyles of its students. One program that does this particularly well is the RN-BSN pathway, designed for working professionals. The program was created for individuals who have earned an associate degree in nursing and wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Erica Pompey shared her experience with the program. After earning her RN degree through Kellogg Community College in 2012, she knew she wasn’t done with school. Erica began a few BSN programs between 2012 and 2019, but varying circumstances kept her from finishing her degree. When her sister-in-law and coworker at Oaklawn Hospital told Erica about the The University of Olivet RN-BSN program, she decided to give it another go. “My sister-in-law saw Olivet’s program, and she said she was planning to do it. She wanted me to do it with her so we would have accountability. We joined together in 2019,” said Erica.
Part of the program is a senior capstone project and practicum. In this course, students practically give back to the community by choosing a passion project within the nursing field. Erica’s project idea was born out of her love for kids. Her first career was elementary teaching, so for her project, she looked at the needs of Calhoun County. She said, “I saw that the health of our kids was not good and that as we age, of course, poor health makes things more difficult. So, I started looking at any programs and research on schools and fitness and healthy eating, and through my research, I found the JIFF program through MSU Extension.”
JIFF stands for Jump into Food and Fitness, a program already established and running. Erica brought this program to Harrington Elementary in Albion, where she was born and raised. To get the program off the ground, Erica wrote a grant to secure funding for the necessary supplies, spoke with the principal in Albion and tweaked the curriculum to fit the needs of her group best. The program officially launched in March 2022.
Their first group of JIFF students was relatively small – about 13-15 kids – but Erica is happy with how it turned out. They met every Wednesday for eight weeks and would have health training, fun movement and exercise and end with a healthy snack.
The RN-BSN program through Olivet is something special, with the practicums as a defining feature. “I am a hands-on learner, so I really enjoyed the practicum part of it,” said Erica. Director Marilyn Lawrence added, “Many RN-BSN programs will say that they have a service-learning deliverable, but really what they are doing is an evidence-based practice deliverable. What we do differently here is based on our Compact and our vision of Individual and Social Responsibility. The students do something that is giving back to the community.”
In the The University of Olivet program, students will receive a quality education that fits their lifestyle and helps them achieve big goals while giving back to the community. The University of Olivet is helping the next generation of nurses to succeed in an ever-changing world.
Learn more about The University of Olivet and the RN-BSN program by contacting Mike Lazusky, director of adult professional and graduate admissions at 269-749-6612 or mlazusky@uolivet.edu.
This feature was written by Savannah Baker, a senior studying English and business. The former editor of Olivet’s literary journal, Garfield Lake Review, Savannah now pursues her interest in writing and editing as a marketing intern with The University of Olivet.