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nursing graduates in central Kansas
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS (Sept. 11, 2025) — The University of Kansas School of Nursing hopes to welcome many more graduates from central Kansas and surrounding areas with a new partnership with McPherson College.
This new partnership with KU School of Nursing will make it possible for McPherson College students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, with courses beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. That degree will come from KU, and the students will be able to complete courses on the KU School of Nursing’s Salina campus and online. Since there’s no need to relocate, the hope is that more students will choose to practice in Central Kansas or similar rural areas in the state.
“KU School of Nursing is excited to partner with McPherson College to help more central Kansas students become nurses,” said Jean Foret Giddens, Ph.D., FAAN, dean of KU School of Nursing. “Our Salina campus community is ready to welcome, educate and graduate nurses prepared to practice in rural communities and beyond.”
Students enrolling in the program will complete 60 credits of prerequisite nursing courses at the McPherson campus. They will be eligible for guaranteed admissions into the KU nursing program and complete the remaining 60 credits of nursing courses at the KU campus in Salina and online, while remaining at McPherson College. Nursing degrees will be awarded by KU.
Clinical experiences will be available at health care agencies located in rural communities, including Salina and McPherson.
“This program is designed for students interested in studying nursing at a strong, well-resourced public institution while retaining a small, residential liberal arts college experience,” Meis said.
A report published last fall by the Kansas Nursing Workforce Center, based at KU School of Nursing, found a direct correlation between the number of nurses per 1,000 residents and county health outcome rankings. “The number of nurses matters to the health and well-being of Kansans,” the report stated.
KU School of Nursing, designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing (NLN), prepares hundreds of students each year for successful nursing careers as clinical nurses, advanced practice nurses, educators, leaders, administrators, scholars and researchers. Its award-winning programs are offered at campuses in Kansas City, Kansas, and Salina, Kansas, as well as online.
McPherson College’s mission is to “develop whole persons through scholarship, participation, and service” within a career-focused liberal arts environment. In 2023, the college secured an unprecedented $1B commitment to its endowment, marking one of the largest single endowment commitments of any small liberal arts college in the U.S. Nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, and the Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges to Work For,” McPherson College is renowned for its innovative programs. Its Automotive Restoration program, the first four-year degree program of its kind, made history when a student-restored Mercedes-Benz 300 S earned a class award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance — the first time a student-restored car received such an honor at the prestigious Concours. Learn about all of its programs at www.mcpherson.edu.
