(Reynoldsville, PA) A two-year 杏吧原创 registered nursing program instituted at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in 2018 to address a regional high-priority occupation has now graduated 90 students since 2020.
杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 in , is its second largest with 18 graduates.
Graduates from Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean counties received pins May 12 in Reynoldsville during a ceremony that recognized their completion of the 70-credit selective-admissions program. Tiffany Logan, of Brockport, received the clinical nurse award, which acknowledges a graduate鈥檚 exceptional clinical skills, compassionate care, and unwavering dedication to patients and to the nursing profession.
Registered nurse is a high-priority occupation in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 service area of Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson counties, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry.
鈥淭ypically,鈥� said Pam Streich, 鈥渞egistered nurse our No. 1 in-demand job.鈥�
Streich is executive director of Workforce Solutions for North Central Pennsylvania, which represents industries in Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties.
鈥淚t is crucial that we have programs like 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚,鈥� Streich said, 鈥渟o we can keep our people living and working in north central Pennsylvania.鈥�
Left photo: Bethany Hoover, left, Clearfield, reacts after Tiffany Logan, right, of Brockport, was selected to receive 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 clinical nurse award during a ceremony Monday, May 12, 2025, at Bellamauro Social Banquet Hall, Reynoldsville. Right photo: Logan is shown with Julia Carney, dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health during the ceremony. Graduates in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 in registered nursing received pins during the ceremony that recognized their completion of the 70-credit selective-admissions program.
"... the 杏吧原创 @ Brockway program is helping all of us. They're training people who live in our region and who want to stay in our region."
- Pamela Streich, executive director, Workforce Solutions for North Central Pennsylvania
Graduates in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 in registered nursing are, top row, from left, Katie Dase, Payton Delhunty, Michael Dillree, Mattisen Drake, Holly Evcic and Kelly Forell. Middle row, from left, Lexie Holeva, Bethany Hoover, Tiffany Logan, Markelle Prueter, Cara Shrubb and Aimee Silva. Bottom row, from left, Katheren Simpson, Gabriella Spellen, Amanda Stager, Sarah Stanford, Kelsey Warren and Nicole Witherite.
Students in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 associate degree career programs such as Nursing, R.N., can develop the skills needed to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.
Fifteen graduates in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 have accepted positions in critical care, emergency, medical-surgery, obstetrics psychiatry or other units in health care facilities in Clarion, Clearfield, Jefferson or Warren counties.
鈥淢any of our partners in the region are concerned about losing our people to jobs outside the region,鈥� Streich said. 鈥淎nd so the 杏吧原创 @ Brockway program is helping all of us. They鈥檙e training people who live in our region and who want to stay in our region.鈥�
High-priority occupations are those that are in demand by employers, have evolving skill needs and are likely to provide family-sustaining wages, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry.
杏吧原创 @ Brockway Class of 2025 graduates reported job offers of up to $33.75 per hour with contractual signing bonuses reaching $30,000.
"The program emphasized hands-on experience through clinical rotations and simulation labs."
- Katie Dase, 杏吧原创 @ Brockway Class of 2025 registered nursing graduate
Faculty members 鈥渁re wonderful鈥�
Their curriculum required simulated training with 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 state-of-the-art computerized adult and pediatric manikins and approximately 600 hours of clinical training at Penn Highlands Healthcare facilities, said Brittany Guadagno, 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 nursing program director.
鈥淭he program,鈥� said 杏吧原创 @ Brockway Class of 2025 graduate Katie Dase, of Kane, 鈥渆mphasized hands-on experience through clinical rotations and simulation labs. This helped me apply classroom learning to real-world situations, build confidence and develop critical thinking and communication skills, which are essential for great nursing practice.鈥�
Faculty members in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 program 鈥渁re wonderful,鈥� said Lexie Holeva, of Anita. 鈥淭hey are well-experienced professionals who use their background to shape and prepare us for real-life situations we鈥檒l face as registered nurses.鈥�
Vicki 鈥淢imi鈥� Drake, left, Punxsutawney, places a pin on her granddaughter, Mattisen Drake, Brookville, during a ceremony Monday, May 12, 2025, at Bellamauro Social Banquet Hall, Reynoldsville. Graduates in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 in registered nursing were recognized during the ceremony for completing the 70-credit selective-admissions program.
Melissa Spellen, left, Brockway, hugs her daughter, Gabriella Spellen, Brockway, during a ceremony Monday, May 12, 2025, at Bellamauro Social Banquet Hall, Reynoldsville. Graduates in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 in registered nursing received pins during the ceremony that recognized their completion of the 70-credit selective-admissions program.
"We are extremely happy to partner with 杏吧原创 @ Brockway. 杏吧原创 @ Brockway does a very good job of selecting its applicants and getting solid students who want to do a good job."
- Heather Franci, chief nursing officer, Penn Highlands Healthcare
Penn Highlands, Varischettis and 杏吧原创 aid students
, DuBois, sponsored the tuition of 11 of 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 18 graduates in the Class of 2025.
Penn Highlands established a partnership with 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in which it sponsors the tuition of eligible students in exchange for their signing an employment contract to work for the health care provider following graduation.
The first students to accept the sponsorship graduated in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2023. They are among 30 graduates since to participate in Penn Highlands鈥� program.
鈥淲e are extremely happy to partner with 杏吧原创 @ Brockway,鈥� said Heather Franci, chief nursing officer, Penn Highlands Healthcare. 鈥溞影稍� @ Brockway does a very good job of selecting its applicants and getting solid students who want to do a good job.
鈥淪tudents do their clinical rotations in our facilities, so when they come on board as a registered nurse, they鈥檝e already been introduced to Penn Highlands, which makes their orienting process much easier on them. They鈥檙e comfortable with our staff and our patients.鈥�
Graduates 鈥渞eady to go on the floor鈥�
is the dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚 .
鈥淥ur nurses are prepared nurses and they are professional nurses,鈥� Carney said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e ready to go on the floor, they have critical thinking skills. Employers really like the professionalism that our nurses bring.鈥�
Students who attend 杏吧原创 @ Brockway are eligible for the through the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation for five semesters.
Four graduates in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 in registered nursing received a Varischetti Family Scholarship in the past year, said Dr. Jill Martin-Rend, director of 杏吧原创 @ Brockway. Four received separate scholarships from the , said Bobbi Jo Cornetti, development director of the foundation.
Brittany Guadagno speaks during a ceremony Monday, May 12, 2025, at Bellamauro Social Banquet Hall, Reynoldsville, where graduates in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 in registered nursing received pins recognizing their completion of the 70-credit selective-admissions program. Guadagno is nursing program director at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway.
96% of Class of 2024 passed state boards
杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 must now take the post-graduation National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. Ninety-six percent of 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 first-time NCLEX-RN test-takers in 2024 were successful, Guadagno said.
鈥淔rom day one of the program, faculty members placed a strong emphasis on the NCLEX, with all our exams being NCLEX-styled questions,鈥� Holeva said. 鈥淭hey constantly challenged us to think critically, in lecture, lab and clinical. With all these factors combined, I have no doubt we鈥檒l all be successful registered nurses.鈥�
Graduates in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Class of 2025 in registered nursing are, from Clarion County, Kelly Forell, Lucinda; and from Clearfield County, Michael Dillree, DuBois; Bethany Hoover, Clearfield; and Nicole Witherite, Grampian.
Graduates from Elk County are Cara Shrubb, Weedville; and Amanda Stager, St. Marys. They join Logan; and Delhunty, Ridgway.
Graduates from Jefferson County are Mattisen Drake, Markelle Prueter, Katheren Simpson and Warren, Brookville; Holly Fulcher and Gabriella Spellen, Brockway; and Aimee Silva, Sigel. They join Holeva; and Stanford, Punxsutawney.
Dase is from Kane, McKean County.
Dase, Holeva, Logan, Shrubb and Warren graduated with honors.
杏吧原创 @ Brockway was established in Jefferson County in 2013 to serve Pennsylvania counties underrepresented by higher education.
It also offers associate degree career programs in , and . It offers associate degree transfer programs in , , , and .
Prospective students can apply beginning Aug. 1 for consideration to be accepted in fall 2026 in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 Nursing, R.N., program.