Virginia Wesleyan University, Sentara Health to expand academic partnership
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Sentara Health and Virginia Wesleyan to partner on health-related programs
Sentara Health and Virginia Wesleyan University sign a letter to partner together. The move “builds upon a strong history” between the entities. The institutions work together on health-related academic programs, student wellness services and joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree offerings. The joint project will be called the Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginiaesleyan University. The two institutions said they were “committed” to reducing the effects on students and faculty.“This bold step reflects our shared commitment to addressing critical healthcare workforce needs while advancing access to high-quality education,” the university president said in a statement.
According to an announcement Monday, the move “builds upon a strong history” between the entities. The institutions work together on health-related academic programs, student wellness services and joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree offerings. Once completed, the joint project will be called the Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginia Wesleyan University.
According to Sentara, there are about 500 students enrolled at the college and about 70 faculty members, and the university and health-care provider said details of the proposed relationship are being developed. The institutions said they were “committed” to reducing the effects on students and faculty.
“This expanded relationship reflects our vision to prepare the healthcare workforce of the future while honoring our deep community ties and proud 130-year academic legacy,” Dennis Matheis, president and chief executive officer of Sentara Health, said in a statement.
“We look forward to working closely with Virginia Wesleyan University to create new opportunities for students, expand access to in-demand programs and help meet the growing healthcare needs of the communities we serve.”
In April, Sentara Health paused new admissions into degree-granting programs at the Sentara College of Health Sciences after announcing it would “realign” the school’s academic model. New students, however, are being accepted for the school’s medical assistant, patient care technician, cardiac electrophysiology and monitor surveillance certificate programs. School leadership announced it would consider partnerships with state and regional universities to transition all nursing and non-nursing degree-granting programs.
Aspects of the certificate programs such as “the types of programs, structure and delivery format” are still being evaluated, according to Sentara Health.
Dr. Angela Taylor, dean and executive director of the college, said in a message that all current students will be able to complete their programs.
“This bold step reflects our shared commitment to addressing critical healthcare workforce needs while advancing access to high-quality education,” Scott Miller, president of Virginia Wesleyan University, said in a statement.
“By uniting Sentara’s rich legacy of healthcare excellence with Virginia Wesleyan’s academic infrastructure and student-centered mission, we are creating a powerful model for the future of health sciences education in Coastal Virginia and beyond.”
Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com
Nursing students in limbo as Sentara College of Health Sciences suspends degree program
The first class of nurses at Sentara College of Health Sciences graduated in 1894. The school announced it is discontinuing its nursing and non-nursing degree-granting programs. Of the 460 enrolled students at the college, 385 are in degree-seeking programs. Sentara says plans are still being finalized to decide where the students will finish their degrees, but the school says it’s “working to establish strategic partnerships with state and regional universities” to house these programs.”If we don’t finish when we were supposed to finish, then for many of us it may be the end of our career,” said Rachael Braet-Foster, a nursing student at the school. “By doing this in such a short manner and by not fulfilling what was started it doesn’t show very much integrity,” she said.
Of the 460 enrolled students at the college, 385 are in degree-seeking programs.
Sentara says plans are still being finalized to decide where the students will finish their degrees, but the school says it’s “working to establish strategic partnerships with state and regional universities” to house these programs.
It’s unclear how many students in certificate programs will be impacted.
Rachael Braet-Foster is a nursing student at the school. She says the school’s decision is not just administrative; it’s life-changing.
“If we don’t finish when we were supposed to finish, when we were told we would finish, then for many of us it may be the end of our career,” said Rachael Braet-Foster, junior at Sentara College of Health Sciences.
“Do you think it will be the end of your career?” asked News 3 reporter Erika Craven.
“There’s a really good chance. I had a deadline and it was next year. So, I’m not a young student, this is a second career, and for my family and for me to be able to make it an actual career I had to make it by next spring. So I don’t know,” said Braet-Foster.
She said many in her close-knit cohort think uprooting and transferring would be a hardship. Some students are military spouses, have specific loans or have children, and many worry new programs won’t be as flexible with childcare or that credits won’t transfer, causing delays.
“That’s not what they signed up for, that’s not what we were promised by Sentara when we started this program,” said Braet-Foster.
Mike Kafka, spokesman for Sentara, shared a statement with News 3’s Maddie Miller, saying the shift reflects a common model in healthcare where health systems partner with external academic institutions rather than operate degree programs.
The statement aimed to assure students by stating: “All current students will be able to complete their programs, either at SCOHS or through a designated partner. However, we are pausing new admissions into degree-granting programs while final decisions are made.”
Miller asked about whether students would get to choose a path once partnerships are established and what the financial expectations would be for students if they’re transferred out of state.
“Specific programming changes are still being determined, and we will share additional details as soon as plans are finalized,” responded Kafka.
Meanwhile, nursing students like Braet-Foster haven’t been told where they’ll go.
“By doing this in such a short manner and by not fulfilling what was started it doesn’t show very much integrity,” said Braet-Foster.
She says the impacted students don’t want to transfer, but want to graduate as scheduled.
“If Sentara Health would do that, it would extend that olive branch. It would show society, it would show the community, it would show the students, it would show the professors, it would show all their employees of the hospitals all around that they actually care about their employees, they care about their students, and they care about healthcare,” said Braet-Foster.
Sentara’s complete statement is included below:
Sentara, Virginia Wesleyan partner on new college of health sciences
Sentara Health will develop a new College of Health Sciences at Virginia Wesleyan University. Details of the partnership haven’t been hammered out yet, but a statement from the health system and university said they’re aiming to minimize disruption and ensure continuity for students, faculty and staff. The move comes two months after Sentara announced it would stop offering degree programs for nurses and other health professions after 130 years. Many students publicly aired concerns and frustrations online, complaining they were blindsided.
The details of the partnership haven’t been hammered out yet, but a statement from the health system and university said they’re aiming to minimize disruption and ensure continuity for students, faculty and staff.
The move comes two months after Sentara College of Health Sciences, an arm of the state’s largest healthcare system, announced it would stop offering degree programs for nurses and other health professions after 130 years.
Many students publicly aired concerns and frustrations online, complaining they were blindsided and didn’t know where they’d end up after spending months or years in Sentara’s program.
The college announced on April 17 that it was “taking steps to align our academic model with current and emerging workforce needs across the communities we serve,” working on partnering with colleges and universities to continue programs.
Virginia Wesleyan President Scott Miller said Monday the two institutions had been in discussions since February.
“I think they were exploring academic partners that were synergistic partners, partners that would continue the quality of the program, the traditions of the program, and the good name of Sentara College of Health Sciences in a way that would forward the agenda of health education in this region,” Miller told WHRO. “There there are so many jobs that are available, and they were looking for a partner that would grow the program, and that’s our intent.”
Miller noted VWU had already been running a joint nursing program with Sentara – one that awards a bachelor’s degree – and that existing Sentara students would be allowed to continue in that program.
He said plan is to continue operating Sentara College of Health Sciences as it transitions to becoming a part of Virginia Wesleyan University. Over the next few years, operations would transition from the existing Sentara campus in Chesapeake’s Greenbrier area to VWU’s Virginia Beach campus.
NOTE: Virginia Wesleyan President Scott Miller sits on WHRO’s governing board, which is not involved in editorial decisions.
Sentara, Virginia Wesleyan to establish new Health Sciences College – The Suffolk News-Herald
Sentara, Virginia Wesleyan to establish new Health Sciences College. New academic unit will offer enhanced opportunities for students, expanded access to in-demand health programs, and further integration of healthcare education and services across Coastal Virginia. Sentara and VWU already partner on health-related academic programs, student wellness initiatives, and a joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The new initiative follows Sentara’s recent move to realign the Sentara College of Health Sciences’ academic model.
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Sentara Health and Virginia Wesleyan University have signed a Letter of Intent to create the Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginia Wesleyan University, expanding a longstanding academic partnership aimed at strengthening the region’s healthcare workforce.
The agreement was announced Monday, June 16, and outlines plans to build on an existing collaboration between the Sentara College of Health Sciences and VWU. The new academic unit will offer enhanced opportunities for students, expanded access to in-demand health programs, and further integration of healthcare education and services across Coastal Virginia.
“This expanded relationship reflects our vision to prepare the healthcare workforce of the future while honoring our deep community ties and proud 130-year academic legacy,” said Dennis Matheis, president and CEO of Sentara Health. “We look forward to working closely with Virginia Wesleyan University to create new opportunities for students, expand access to in-demand programs, and help meet the growing healthcare needs of the communities we serve.”
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Sentara and VWU already partner on health-related academic programs, student wellness initiatives, and a joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The new initiative follows Sentara’s recent move to realign the Sentara College of Health Sciences’ academic model to better meet evolving workforce demands.
“We are honored to expand our longstanding partnership with Sentara Health through the establishment of the Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginia Wesleyan University,” said VWU President Dr. Scott D. Miller. “This bold step reflects our shared commitment to addressing critical healthcare workforce needs while advancing access to high-quality education.”
Details of the new academic unit are still being finalized. Both institutions emphasized a commitment to minimizing disruption and maintaining continuity for students, faculty, and staff during the transition.
Further updates will be announced as planning progresses.
Virginia Wesleyan University, Sentara Health to expand academic partnership
Virginia Wesleyan University and Sentara Health recently announced an intent to expand their academic partnership. A Letter of Intent was signed to expand the relationship through the creation of the Sentara College of Health Sciences. The current partnership includes several health-related academic programs, student wellness services and joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree offerings.Plans for the expanded relationship are still currently underway, and more information will be provided in the future.
According to a release, a Letter of Intent was signed to expand the relationship through the creation of the Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginia Wesleyan University, a new academic unit at the university’s campus.
“This expanded relationship reflects our vision to prepare the healthcare workforce of the future while honoring our deep community ties and proud 130-year academic legacy,” president and chief executive officer of Sentara Health Dennis Matheis said. “We look forward to working closely with Virginia Wesleyan University to create new opportunities for students, expand access to in-demand programs, and help meet the growing healthcare needs of the communities we serve.”
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The current partnership with Sentara includes several health-related academic programs, student wellness services and joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree offerings.
“We are honored to expand our longstanding partnership with Sentara Health through the establishment of the Sentara College of Health Sciences of Virginia Wesleyan University,” president of VWU Dr. Scott D. Miller said. “This bold step reflects our shared commitment to addressing critical healthcare workforce needs while advancing access to high-quality education. By uniting Sentara’s rich legacy of healthcare excellence with Virginia Wesleyan’s academic infrastructure and student-centered mission, we are creating a powerful model for the future of health sciences education in Coastal Virginia and beyond.”
Plans for the expanded relationship are still currently underway, and more information will be provided in the future.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
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