LEXINGTON, Neb. — Lexington Public Schools and the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing have formalized a new partnership designed to give Lexington High School students a direct pathway into nursing careers. During a signing ceremony moderated by Lexington High School Principal Eric Bell, school and university leaders announced an early admission program that will allow qualified students in Lexington’s health sciences pathway to secure a reserved seat at UNMC’s College of Nursing in Kearney if they meet admission requirements.
Bell said the agreement builds on Lexington High School’s health sciences program, which was launched four years ago, and creates new opportunities for students interested in nursing and other health care professions. He noted that nursing remains one of the most in-demand career fields across central and western Nebraska and said the partnership could help develop a local workforce pipeline while encouraging graduates to return and serve their hometown communities.
The ceremony’s featured speaker, UNMC College of Nursing Dean Dr. Lapaine Sharp-McHenry, said Nebraska currently faces a shortage of about 6,700 nurses, with the greatest need in western parts of the state. She said the college developed the rural-focused initiative to help more students enter nursing programs and remain in their home communities after graduation. Sharp-McHenry said students accepted through the partnership will avoid the highly competitive nursing school admissions process and have a reserved place at the Kearney campus, provided they meet academic requirements. She added that roughly 80 to 85 percent of nurses educated in their communities remain there to work, helping address workforce shortages across rural Nebraska.
Following the signing of the memorandum of understanding, Lexington Public Schools Curriculum Director Annette Fitzgerald, representing Superintendent John Whetzel, thanked UNMC and Lexington Regional Hospital for their partnership. Fitzgerald said the district is excited about the opportunities the program will provide for students and looks forward to the positive impact the partnership will have on both the school and the community.
