WSSU formalizes partnership that creates pathway to nursing program for Salem College students
Winston-Salem State University and Salem Academy and College have formalized a new partnership that will create a direct pathway for Salem College students to enroll in WSSU’s Division of Nursing Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program.
WSSU Chancellor Bonita Brown and Salem Academy and College President Summer McGee signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Feb. 6, sealing an agreement that will expand access to nursing education, streamline the transition for aspiring nurses, and strengthen the healthcare workforce in North Carolina.
The MOU provides three guaranteed seats in the ABSN program for eligible Salem College students each year for the next five years. It also provides dual enrollment opportunity for eligible Salem College students, starting with their junior year, for the course, “Introduction to Professional Nursing.”
“This is not just a formal agreement, but a shared vision and commitment to the future of healthcare education in North Carolina,” Brown said. “It is a testament to the power of collaboration, and I am thrilled to join forces with Salem Academy and College President Dr. Summer McGee in this endeavor.”
“This collaboration will have a lasting impact on our students, our institutions and the broader community,” McGee said. “As the only liberal arts college focused on health leadership in the nation, Salem College is proud to partner with one of the region’s premier nursing programs. I extend my gratitude to WSSU for helping us address the critical needs that we have in today’s healthcare workforce.”
It is projected that this year alone, there will be a shortage of nearly 80,000 full-time registered nurses across the nation, with North Carolina being among the states that will be impacted the most.
“We need not just more nurses, we need more women who are prepared to lead and make the change in our society,” McGee said. Speaking directly to the Salem College students present, she continued, “We know that you are going to be the changemakers to create the future healthcare workforce that we so desperately need. We made this collaboration because of you. We know that you deserve to have these kinds of opportunities and will do incredible things here at Winston-Salem State University.”
“By joining forces with Salem College, we are not only enhancing the programs but expanding pathways for students to achieve their academic and professional goals,” said Dr. Leslee Battle, dean of the WSSU School of Health Sciences. “This agreement lays the groundwork for shared resources, joint initiatives and a unified approach to education that prioritizes student success.”
Salem College and WSSU leaders recognized Dr. Jason Robertson, program director of public health and health science at Salem Academy and College, for being the driving force behind this initiative, and stated that the crowd of support in the room underscored the importance of collaboration.
Dr. Brett Woods, Salem College vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college, said the program today made him reflect on what it takes to move mountains, what it takes to change lives, and what it means to have a society with integrity, support and dedication for the success of young people.
“It takes a village, and when you look around this room and you see all of those that are willing to stand up and show up to support this relationship between these two great institutions, it’s amazing what we can do when we work together toward our common goal … we are together as one,” Woods said.
WSSU’s nursing program is ranked the No. 1 HBCU nursing program in the nation, and the No. 1 RN to BSN program in the state.
Today’s partnership continues and expands WSSU’s deep commitment to healthcare – in seeing a need and answering the call, Brown said. WSSU’s founder, Dr. Simon Green Atkins, opened a hospital in the late 1800s to serve the healthcare needs of East Winston because there wasn’t one available to all residents at that time. He saw a need an answered the call.
“The allegiance to that tradition is in the heart of this agreement. We are answering a call to ensure that access to healthcare education is available to those who desire to become nurses,” Brown said.
This was Brown's fourth MOU signing since becoming WSSU's 14 chancellor in July 2024. Her leadership is marked by strategic collaborations such as this one with Salem College.
Tours of WSSU's hospital simulation lab in its New Science Building followed the ceremony.
Click here for more photos from the event.
