$ 1 Mil to BPC

Brewton-Parker College (BPC) has been awarded a $1,000,000 grant from the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce for their new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, which will begin this fall.

The school began seeking the addition of a nursing program in 2019, when Division Chair for Math and Natural Sciences Dr. Helene Peters saw a need for more nurses in South Georgia. BPC received initial approval for the program from the Georgia Board of Nursing in May 2021, then was fully approved in January 2022 by the Executive Council of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Col- continued from page

leges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees to begin the program this fall semester.

BPC President Dr. Steven Echols spoke on this funding opportunity. “God has truly blessed BPC to be able to have this new program by bringing support from many sources. This large grant from the legislative appropriation is a game changer and is an affirmation that great things are ahead for BPC and for the future of our surrounding region.”

This grant comes from the help of Senator Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia), who worked to create special funding for the expansion of capacity for training of future nurses in Georgia. Along with other schools, BPC was chosen as a recipient to help with the statewide shortages of nurses.

BPC President Steve Echols spoke of Tillery’s help with this achievement. “Senator Tillery was of immense help at every stage of the process. Without his vision and dedicated efforts, BPC and other schools would not have had this very timely provision to expand the capacity for training new nurses,” he emphasized. “This grant will not only create new capacity but will also provide the resources to have a very high-quality program both in faculty and in equipment.”

Tillery also commented on the occasion. ““I’m not sure the public is aware of all the steps Brewton-Parker hit to bring this idea to fruition. They also received some divine timing and selfless assistance from other drivers in our community, including some that others would view as competition. They all worked together to make this idea a reality.”

The competition to which Tillery referred is the neighboring BSN program at Southeastern Technical College (STC) in Vidalia. According to Tillery and Echols, STC President Larry Calhoun and other administrative figures at the college have been loyal supporters of BPC’s addition of a BSN program, and have even discussed a possible partnership between the two institutions in the future.

“Southeastern (Technical College’s BSN Program) has been recognized as a top program. As a result of its excellence in training nurses, it has a waiting list,” Echols explained. “BPC’s program will provide additional capacity to train qualified applicants to meet the need for nurses in the surrounding area. As South Georgia’s only fouryear SACSCOC accredited Christian college, BPC will be recruiting nursing students throughout Georgia and surrounding states and not just in the local region.”

Tillery believes that this recruitment will help to bridge the gap between the number of nurses needed in society and the number of nurses available. “The nursing shortage in Georgia is real, and if we can help fill it, we will provide jobs and opportunities for our neighbors and create relevance for our region across the state. I’m really proud of the forethought of Brewton-Parker’s team to address this need for our citizens and create a program that will add to their relevance in our community for another 100 years.”

Echols also shared his gratitude toward the local medical center in Vidalia for their cooperation in the development of this new program. ““BPC is grateful to Memorial Health Meadows Hospital and other hospitals in the region who have given enthusiastic support for its nursing program,” he stated. “They are providing clinical education space with the expectation of BPC’s program drawing additional candidates for employment at their hospitals, many of whom will come from outside our local area.”

He also explained that the college’s intent for the BSN program is to fulfill one of the institution’s core values: servant leadership. The college believes that providing opportunities for upward economic mobility to those who receive nursing training and helping to meet the acute shortage of nurses are two ways which it may give back to the community.

“Having a nursing program at BPC is the perfect fit for our mission to send students out as ambassadors for Christ,” he summarized. “The need for nurses is acute in our community and region. From a multitude of sources, BPC has received strong support both in terms of finances and facilitating the process. We believe that nursing training is going to be one of the most impactful programs that BPC will have in the years ahead.”

Currently, the school is still recruiting students for the fall cohort, according to BPC School of Nursing Director Debbi Bryarly. “We still have a few spots open for our cohort – we are hoping for a group of around 20 nursing students. We are still accepting applications, which can be found online at the Brewton-Parker College website.”