The following column written by Celest Weuve, director of the UIS School of Health Sciences and associate professor of athletic training, was published by The State Journal-Register on June 14, 2024.
"The University of Illinois Springfield is helping to address the workforce needs of health care institutions in central Illinois and beyond through an innovative nursing partnership, athletic training and exercise science programs.
A study by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing found that approximately 100,000 registered nurses left the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more are expected to leave the field in coming years.
UIS is helping to combat the shortage through our partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago’s College of Nursing, which has a regional campus at UIS.
Qualified pre-nursing students can complete their general education requirements during their freshman and sophomore years at UIS and then are guaranteed a pathway into the UIC Nursing program to complete their bachelor’s degree in Springfield."