The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) recently awarded $56 million in grants to 27 community colleges across the state to support programs that allow students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) after completing their associate degree in nursing (ADN). The initiative aims to help meet Michigan’s critical nursing shortage by facilitating partnerships between community colleges and four-year universities. 

The grants will enable community colleges to offer students the opportunity to continue their education toward a BSN while attending classes locally. Students who have completed or are enrolled in an ADN program are eligible to enroll in these collaborative programs, which allow them to pursue a BSN at a partnering university. 

“This is a powerful example of how community colleges and universities are stepping up to meet the urgent workforce and health care needs of our communities,” Michelle Richard, MiLEAP’s deputy director of higher education, said in a press release emphasizing the importance of these partnerships in meeting Michigan’s workforce needs. “At MiLEAP, we are thrilled to support these kinds of collaborative partnerships that set up more students to achieve their educational and career goals and help strengthen our state’s workforce.” 

The funding will be used to enhance educational resources, including updated lab equipment, curricula improvements, and the development of new simulation centers. Lansing Community College, for example, is partnering with the University of Michigan Flint to offer tuition scholarships for students pursuing both an ADN and a BSN. 

The grant program reflects a broader effort to address the nursing workforce needs in Michigan. By providing students with a more accessible path to a BSN, the initiative seeks to strengthen the state’s health care system and support the growth of skilled nursing professionals.