St. Elizabeth nursing, Fort Wayne college partner

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After cutting ties with St. Joseph's College earlier this month, the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing has announced its new academic partner.

Pending approval by the appropriate accrediting agencies, the nursing school will team up with the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne starting this summer to continue to offer a bachelor's of science in nursing degree.

"We're blessed really to have this partnership because it provides an opportunity for our students to continue in a cooperative nursing program," said Michelle Gerrety, administrative director of academic services and director of the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing.

Since 2004, St. Joe's and St. Elizabeth have held a cooperative program that allows nursing students to earn a bachelor's of science from St. Joe's and a diploma in nursing from St. Elizabeth. But the relationship was in flux after St. Joe's announced in early February its intention to suspend operations at the end of this semester.

College officials initially said they planned to keep the nursing program active during the suspension because it operates off its Rensselaer campus. Questions surrounding the indebted college's ability to reopen and retain its accreditation, however, caused the entities to announce an end to their arrangement after graduation in May.

Seeking a new academic partner, St. Elizabeth reached out to the University of St. Francis, a private Catholic school that has a rich history in Lafayette and, coincidentally, with the nursing school.

The university got its start in Lafayette more than 125 years ago by the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, of Mishawaka, who in 1890 opened a school that became known as St. Francis College. The college, in fact, was located in the building that now houses the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing. The college moved to Fort Wayne in 1944 and changed its name to the University of St. Francis in 1998.

"St. Francis College" is even written in stone above the nursing school's building, said Andrew Prall, vice president for academic affairs at the University of St. Francis.

"For us, it's quite a connection," he said.

The new partnership is a natural fit, Prall said, because the university's expertise is in nursing and health care. Half of its students are pursuing health care-related degrees.

Although the university is in Fort Wayne, students in the St. Elizabeth nursing program won't need to leave Lafayette for their general education courses. University classes will be offered mainly online, Prall said, and some will be taught by university faculty at the nursing school.

"It makes it really flexible for our students," Gerrety said.

Contact J&C higher education reporter Meghan Holden at mholden@jconline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @MeghanHolden.