Clatsop Community College (CCC) is proud to announce that Providence Community Health has awarded a second $100,000 grant to support the recent expansion of the student capacity of the college’s acclaimed Nursing Program. This funding, designated for the 2025-26 academic year, builds upon a similar grant awarded last year, ensuring continued support for addressing the critical demand for skilled nursing professionals in the region.
The initial $100,000 grant, received last year, has already begun transforming the program. Funds have been allocated toward faculty pay, including the employment of part-time faculty, and strengthening the admissions process to accommodate more students. Additionally, a portion of the grant has been invested in acquiring essential equipment to facilitate the expansion of the first-year nursing cohort from 20 to 24 students for the current academic year.
The newly awarded $100,000 grant will be used in a same way, providing vital resources to sustain and build upon these efforts. By maintaining increased capacity and enhancing support for students and faculty, Clatsop Community College is addressing the need for qualified nurses to serve local healthcare providers and improve community health outcomes.
“This renewed investment from Providence Community Health is a testament to their unwavering commitment to improving healthcare access and fostering educational excellence in our region,” said Tina Kotson, Interim Director of the Nursing and Allied Health at Clatsop Community College. “We are grateful for their continued partnership, which directly impacts our students, their families, and the well-being of the communities we serve.”
Clatsop Community College’s Nursing Program is a leader in nursing education, partnering with the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE). The program boasts a 100% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam for the 2024 graduating cohort, with many graduates already employed at local healthcare facilities, including Providence Seaside Hospital.
As an OCNE partner, CCC utilizes a cutting-edge curriculum developed collaboratively by nine community colleges and six Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) campuses. This gives a direct line for CCC nursing students to transfer into an online baccalaureate program at OHSU. Students admitted to Clatsop’s nursing program are co-enrolled at OHSU and guaranteed admission to OHSU for completion of a bachelor’s degree, after successful completion of Clatsop’s program, if they choose. With current trends at hospitals in the local areas, as well as across the US, preferring new nursing graduates to have a bachelor’s degree, the ability to complete a BS-RN degree online in one additional year after graduating CCC’s nursing program becomes invaluable.
In addition to the Nursing Program, Clatsop Community College offers other Allied Health training programs, including Medical Assisting and Nursing Assistant certifications, which also contribute to meeting local workforce needs.
For more information about Clatsop Community College’s Nursing Program or other health-related offerings visit Nursing page on the Clatsopcc.edu website: https://www.clatsopcc.edu/study/nursing/
