Considered a “milestone” in the nursing program

On December 13, Yavapai Community College celebrated the graduation of 52 nursing students at traditional pinning ceremonies held at the Jim and Linda Lee Performing Arts Center on the Prescott Campus. The event also marked a milestone for the college as it recognized its first cohort of students to complete the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.

In a press release, Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine described the ceremony as a “rite of passage,” honoring the nursing students for their “intense study, fortitude, diligence, and—as our graduates are well aware—sacrifice.” She also expressed gratitude to family members for “supporting and walking this journey with our students.”

The first recipients of a Yavapai College Bachelor’s degree in nursing are: Sirena Alvarez, Karen Black, Rhyann Davies, Michelle Diaz, Jennifer Doerksen, Amber Ewart, Shailee Hamm, Nicole M. Johnson, Starlett Morales, Aimee Olum, Emma Pundt, Aidan Raute, Gabriel Roybal, Jennifer Santoyo, Julia St. Pierre, Annalicia Stann, Nicole Welker and Clark White.

Following are the 52 student nurses and future RNs (following a national licensing exam) who earned associate of applied science degree in nursing at Yavapai Community College during the  fall semester: Alexandra Alvarado, Katie Anderson, Gianmarco Anzelmo, Emily Armijo, Courtney Bauer, Sheron Brown, Karissa Buchanan, Morgan Castillo, Katelyn Chapman, Clay Crane, Jordyn Cromer, Caitlynn Dickinson, Madison Dowell, Joey Farley, Raechel Ferguson, Jenna Fields, Holly Forsberg, Destiny Gilpin, Sarah Gregory, Alexis Haidet, Sada Hendricks, Cheyenne Hull, Noi Jackson, Adam Johnson, Ronnie Kohlhauer, Kendall Kunick, Jennifer Leibin, Matthew Mabbitt, Nicolette Maestas, Hailey Mayhan, Aiden McCarter, Haydee Mesta, Brad Milan, Justin Miller, Geri Mills, Audrey Norman, Alejandro Ocampo, David Podkowa, Chloe Polacek, AJ Purinton, Kaylee Rhodes, Patricia Robinson, Kyla Rolfes, Eric Ross, Alister Rothrock, Katelyn Schield, Anna Sharp, Christine Teague, Jennifer Thomas, Alyssa Wasil, Christopher Wengerd, James Youngblood.

Yavapai Community College says that “it has become the county hub for Healthcare careers and vocational training”

On Wednesday afternoon, July 10, Yavapai Community College will hold an open house at its Prescott Valley Center for learning about healthcare careers.  The Center is located at 3800 North Glassford Hill Road, Prescott Valley.  The Open House will run for two hours from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Faculty will be available to answer questions from the public about obtaining training from the Community College in a number of healthcare areas including:  

• Assisted Living Facility Caregiver Certificate        
• Computed Tomography (CT)
• Medical Assistant AAS or Certificate
• Medical Office Assistant Certificate
• Nursing Assistant Certificate
• Phlebotomy Technician Certificate
• Radiologic Technology AAS
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) post-primary certificate

In addition to touring the Prescott Valley Center and sampling possible career fields, visitors can explore resources to help them embark on their healthcare education, including:

• Meeting and speaking with YC experts who can help you get started 
• Learning about scholarships and financial aid
• Submitting a free admission application
• And more!

Refreshments will be served, and prizes will be available, including a Chrome Book, Amazon gift cards and more.

The College boasts that it “has become the county hub for Healthcare careers and vocational training.”

Final approval pending from IAC, which is a medical professional accreditation organization. Dr. Rhine announces she will hold press conference Monday, October 16, outside Building 1 on Prescott Campus to reveal exactly what the degree is about

Dr. Lisa Rhine announced to the Yavapai Community College faculty on Thursday, September 15 that the College has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer its second baccalaureate degree.  Full approval is pending before the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). The IAC is a nonprofit, nationally recognized accrediting organization.

The IAC was founded by medical professionals to advance appropriate utilization, standardization and quality of diagnostic imaging, interventional and therapeutic procedures. The IAC programs for accreditation are dedicated to quality improvement and patient safety and all support one common company mission: Improving health care through accreditation®. Since its inception in 1991, the IAC has granted accreditation to more than 14,000 sites.

Dr. Rhine also announced that she would hold a press conference outside Building 1 on the Prescott Campus Monday,  October 16 “to reveal what it is,” referring to the new baccalaureate degree.  She did not provide a time for the conference. 

Goal is to begin construction in August 2024 – (Estimated cost runs from $20 to $22  million) – This is second major project in last few months announced to expand west side Community College footprint as $10 million already allocated for  separate CTEC expansion; College will seek additional state and federal support for Science Center project

Yavapai Community College announced in its August Facilities Management Newsletter that it has begun moving forward with its plans to build  an estimated $20 to 22 million Sciences Center to be located at the College’s Prescott Center.  (Click here to take link to newsletter.)   

The College says that it is working with “SPS + Architects” and has begun programming for a new three story 30,000 square foot facility that will house Nursing and EMS training.  According to the Facilities Management Report, the College  hopes to obtain additional funding from the state and federal governments.  It is unclear whether the project is actually contingent on obtaining those funds.

It also hopes to break ground for the Center  in August 2024. If it does so without state or government aid, it will most likely turn to issuing Special Revenue Bonds of some sort because they do not  need approval from residents before they are issued.  The College has used this approach before on various projects.

The EMS program, now located on the Prescott Campus, will be moved to the new facility. The vacated Prescott Campus space will be filled by building additional  athletic offices to meet the needs of the burgeoning athletic program.

The College said it will continue the existing nursing program on the Verde Campus.

The announcement of the multi-million dollar project is notable for a couple of reasons:  First, in the May 2024 approved budget, this project was listed as beginning at the earliest in the 2026-2027 academic year.  For unexplained reasons, it has  suddenly been moved to begin two years earlier, in August 2024. 

Second, this appears to be a missing part of the Master plan originally hatched by the Prescott based College executives back in  2010 where they  received Governing Board approval for allocating $103 million or more in capital development with less than 5% going to Sedona and the Verde Valley.  At that time, it was expected that all nursing training would be centralized at the Prescott Valley Center, including the nursing program on the Verde Valley Campus. 

Fortunately, Sedona/Verde Valley advocates launched a successful campaign to save the nursing training on the Verde Valley Campus. Another factor saving the Verde Valley Campus program was that discussions with Northern Arizona University and others potentially involved in the Prescott Valley project fell apart, which brought a halt to enormous expansion plans. However, the College moved ahead with renovation of  a portion of the Prescott Valley Center for its nursing program. 

In justifying the 30,000 square foot expansion, College consultants claim that based on projected enrollment growth in the Health Sciences, and “the advantages of bringing all Health Sciences programs together into one building,” a new integrated Health Sciences center is needed, which focuses on partnerships and interdisciplinary pedagogies that provide students with an improved understanding of healthcare practices to help them secure better jobs. (Emphasis added.) 

The following is the announcement made by the College:

Most classes already full or nearly full weeks before fall semester begins

As Yavapai Community College gears up for the Fall 2023 semester, enrollment data indicates that the nursing program at the Verde Valley Campus has become that Campus’s undeniable magnet.  The figures from the last week of July reveal an overwhelming dominance in registrations for the nursing program, with 17 classes either completely filled or nearing full capacity. In contrast, most of the remaining 70 academic offerings are struggling to match anywhere near the interest seen in the nursing program, barring a few exceptions.

The demand for the Verde Valley Campus nursing program most likely reflects a significant paradigm shift in the field of higher education. Traditionally, some fields like liberal arts, business, and sciences have often dominated college enrollments. However, the enrollment data at the Verde Valley Campus shows the increasing appeal of healthcare-related vocations, particularly nursing, among students seeking promising career opportunities in the ever-expanding healthcare industry.

The ongoing global health challenges, combined with the aging population, have fueled a growing need for skilled healthcare professionals, especially nurses. The Verde Valley Campus nursing program’s popularity may stem from the recognition of this demand, with students embracing the program as a viable pathway to make a positive impact on their communities’ well-being and health outcomes.

A key driving force behind the nursing program’s success at the Verde Valley Campus is likely a commitment to providing top-tier nursing education. The Verde Valley Campus program boasts a team of experienced and highly qualified faculty members who bring a wealth of expertise and practical knowledge to the classroom. Furthermore, the campus is now equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, simulation labs, and clinical opportunities that ensure students receive hands-on training and exposure to real-world scenarios.

The response to the nursing program’s fall 2023 registrations indicates a bright future for  Verde Valley Campus healthcare offerings. As the College adapts to meet the growing healthcare demand, it should explore opportunities to expand and enhance the nursing program on the Verde Valley Campus further, ensuring that it continues to produce an even greater number of well-prepared, compassionate, and skilled nursing professionals.