Western Accepting Applications for New Nursing Program

After nearly three years of planning and investment, Western Colorado University is now accepting applications for its new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, with the inaugural cohort beginning this fall.

The program will offer both a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and an accelerated 12-month track for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and have completed prerequisite coursework.

“This program was intentionally designed to prepare practice-ready nurses,” Western’s Director of Nursing, Elizabeth Roten, said. “Our graduates will be equipped to serve rural communities, high-altitude environments, and diverse populations with excellence, compassion, leadership, and clinical expertise.”

Responding to a critical need for more nurses in the state, Western began developing a nursing program in 2023 with the help of a $50,000 Opportunity Now planning grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

That funding was followed by a $1.5 million Opportunity Now implementation grant and, more recently, a $560,000 award from The Colorado Health Foundation, which will be distributed over the next three years.

In places like the Gunnison Valley, where one hospital serves a large geographic area, nurses need to be prepared to help deliver babies, assist in surgery, and respond to emergencies, sometimes all in the same shift.

That reality shaped the program’s design. Western partnered closely with Gunnison Valley Health to build a curriculum that prepares nurses for the diverse clinical demands of rural practice.

In November, the University opened a state-of-the-art simulation lab, constructed with over $500,000 in grant funding and support from the Gunnison Valley Health Foundation, providing Western’s nursing students with space for hands-on clinical training.

The program graduated its first Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) cohort in December and has since received Phase II approval from the Colorado Board of Nursing and the Higher Learning Commission to begin enrolling BSN students. It’s also hitting key milestones on its way to national accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The program has also been recruiting from among the best nursing experts and providers in the Gunnison community, hiring Dr. Mary Sawyer as its first faculty member.

Since joining this team, Dr. Sawyer has played a key role in developing Western’s simulation lab and integrating knowledge of the Gunnison community health needs into the curriculum.

“As both a healthcare provider in this valley and an alumna of Western, this moment is profoundly meaningful to me,” Dr. Sawyer said. “My commitment to this program is inseparable from my commitment to the Gunnison Valley. We’re not just launching a new program. We’re training future nurses who understand rural health, who value this community, and who will graduate prepared to serve.”