Making Community College Baccalaureates in Nursing Work: A University and Community College Collaboration

Dr. Cheryl Cicotti, MSN, Former Dean of Nursing at Seminole State College of Florida & CCBA Project Manager

Dr. Angela M. Kersenbrock, MSN, President of Community College Baccalaureate Association

Community college baccalaureate degrees (CCBs) are increasingly recognized as effective mechanisms for addressing regional workforce shortages, particularly in the healthcare sector. In Central Florida, a strategic collaboration was formed in 2016 with the University of Central Florida (UCF), one of the largest universities in the nation, regional healthcare organizations, and three local community colleges: Seminole State College of Florida, Valencia College, and Lake-Sumter State College. This alliance aimed to structure a plan to increase the number of nursing graduates in the region to meet the rising demand for bachelor’s-prepared registered nurses (BSNs). Supported by a three-county labor analysis that showed UCF alone could not sufficiently fulfill the region’s growing labor needs for BSNs, alternative pathways were explored, including having the regional community colleges offer the BSN degree. 

Central to the formation of this partnership was the development of a mutually beneficial model for all institutions and healthcare organizations. During early discussions, UCF expressed its primary concern that expanding BSN programs at community colleges would negatively impact its RN-to-BSN enrollment. The RN-to-BSN track at most universities is a way for nursing colleges to offset the high cost of traditional nursing programs. The university feared that if the community colleges offered the BSN, it would lead to a decline in enrollments in BSN completion programs and, therefore, negatively impact its revenue. 

In response to labor market needs and these enrollment concerns, a regional task force was established and met monthly for one year to identify the challenges and potential solutions for creating a community college BSN program. The task force included representatives from the UCF administration and the College of Nursing, as well as representatives from each of the area hospitals, workforce development boards, and the three community colleges. A consultant with extensive experience in healthcare administration facilitated the conversations and helped develop a workable win-win plan. 

The university expressed two concerns preventing them from buying into the CCB BSN: 

1. That perceived enrollment declines in their RN to BSN programs would impact the College of Nursing’s financial stability and, 
2. Anticipated challenges in recruiting and developing master’s and doctoral-prepared nursing faculty to teach the new community college BSN courses.

After several months of discussion, the following action steps were recommended by the task force and endorsed by the full team:

1. Continue the community colleges’ “automatic admissions program” whereby community college nursing program applicants with appropriate GPAs would be jointly admitted to both the community college nursing program and the university RN to BSN track, not to exceed a negotiated percentage.
2. Establish a seamless transition from the community college’s BSN program into the university’s master’s in nursing program. 
3. Develop a teaching practicum course for the UCF master’s students interested in teaching. The practicum course offered master’s students the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be a faculty member at a community college. This “student teaching” experience proved effective in helping community colleges recruit part-time faculty. 
4. Secure financial support from the largest area hospitals to ensure the community colleges had adequate funding to expand their nursing programs, and UCF could  grow its nursing master’s program. 

With these strategies in place, UCF provided its full backing, and the Florida Department of Education and the Florida College System officially approved the BSN programs at the three community colleges in 2017.

Over the past eight years, the nursing baccalaureate programs at Seminole State College of Florida, Valencia College, and Lake-Sumter State College have significantly contributed to enlarging the pool of bachelor’s-prepared nurses in the Central Florida region. The increased number of BSN graduates from these programs has alleviated local workforce shortages, and as projected, UCF has experienced substantial growth in its MSN program enrollment. Additionally, many UCF MSN students have completed teaching practicums at the community colleges, creating a relationship that benefits both institutions. These practicum experiences serve as a faculty recruitment pipeline for the community colleges and increases the number of practicum sites for the University’s MSN students.

Looking back, the BSN CCB initiatives in Central Florida have successfully filled a critical workforce gap that the university could not address alone. These community college baccalaureate programs primarily serve working adults, a demographic often underrepresented in traditional higher education pathways. Demographic analysis reveals that approximately 50 percent of CCB degree completers are students of color, with many attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) or similarly focused colleges that prioritize educational equity. Further, surveys indicate that more than half of CCB graduates state they would not have pursued a bachelor’s degree if not for the accessible pathway provided by their local community college, highlighting the CCB’s vital role in promoting social mobility and reducing educational disparities (Community College Daily).

In summary, the Central Florida BSN model exemplifies how strategic collaborations among higher education institutions and regional healthcare providers can effectively meet workforce demands. Such win-win partnerships underscore the importance of aligning institutional goals while recognizing universities’ concerns, community needs, and workforce preparedness to create sustainable pathways for diverse learners. Given the increasing reliance on community college baccalaureate programs nationwide, this model offers a scalable blueprint for addressing similar regional challenges across the nation.

Works Cited

Community College Daily. “Cost Makes the Difference for Community College Bachelor’s Students.” Community College Daily, 12 Dec. 2023, https://www.ccdaily.com/2023/12/cost-makes-the-difference-for-community-college-bachelors-students/.

Suggested Citation

Cicotti, C. & Kersenbrock, A. (2025). Making community college baccalaureates in nursing work: A university and community college collaboration. The Community College Baccalaureate Association https://www.accbd.org/2025/06/30/making-community-college-baccalaureates-in-nursing-work-a-university-and-community-college-collaboration/