As we continue to celebrate Community College Month, we have some great news to share. Wilson Community College is partnering with East Carolina University to offer the Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN) and the Accelerated Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (aRIBN) program options to students enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program.
Starting in Fall 2022, students enrolled in Wilson Community College’s ADN program will have the option to apply to ECU’s aRIBN program. The option provides a three-year nursing option, where students enroll concurrently at Wilson Community College and East Carolina University and complete both their Associate Degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at the same time. Students in the aRIBN program can finish their ADN in two years and their BSN within three years. In other words, they will complete the two-year ADN program first and, once licensed, work as an RN and continue for a third year to complete the BSN option online through ECU.
Having students complete their coursework at Wilson Community College alleviates the need to travel to ECU. In addition, students only pay for one additional year at ECU versus four years for a traditional BSN program, reducing the cost of tuition for the bachelor’s degree. While enrolled, students have access to all of the resources available at ECU while also enrolled at WCC.
And beginning in Fall 2023, WCC will further extend the partnership with ECU to offer the RIBN program option to high school seniors. A select number of high school seniors will be accepted to Wilson Community College’s nursing program and co-enrolled at ECU. The intent of the program is for students to complete their two-year ADN at the end of their third year and their BSN at the end of their fourth year. All courses are taken at WCC while having all the resources at ECU available to them.
“We are excited to partner with East Carolina University to offer the aRIBN and RIBN options to our nursing students. Although the job opportunities for ADN graduates are numerous, having a BSN will provide additional career opportunities to our graduates. This partnership will allow graduates to obtain their BSN in a more cost-effective way and in less time than if they chose to attend a four-year university,” shared Becky Strickland, WCC’s Dean of Allied Health.
To be eligible for the aRIBN and RIBN options, students must be accepted to the Associate Degree Nursing program, meet required pre-requisites, and maintain a 3.0 GPA.
For more information on the aRIBN and RIBN options and admissions requirements, visit the ECN aRIBN page or the Eastern North Carolina RIBN page. You can also contact Becky Strickland, Dean of Allied Health, at bstrickland@wilsoncc.edu or (252) 246-1333, or Kelly Cleaton, ENC RIBN and aRIBN Coordinator for East Carolina University, at cleatonk@ecu.edu or (252) 744-6470. #WilsonCC We make Wilson work.
What’s Happening
- All Month – Summer & Fall Registration
- April 18 – PTK Induction Ceremony
- April 22 – SGA Earth Day Cleanup