Two anonymous donors approached the Greenville Tech Foundation, looking for a creative way to support nursing graduates during the pandemic. They wanted to help the next group of frontline healthcare workers get certified and ready to help patients.
That request led to donations that funded the $200 registration fee for all 35 nursing graduates to take the NCLEX exam, a $7,000 combined gift. Graduates came to the college on May 14 and picked up their gift certificates in the parking lot of the Nursing building, where they spent two years working toward the associate degree, as their instructors held up signs and cheered for them.
Greenville Technical College Nursing graduates earn high pass rates on the licensure exam. In 2019, for example, the GTC pass rate was 95.48%, significantly higher than the South Carolina pass rate of 90.50% or the U.S. pass rate of 88.18%.
Graduates of GTC’s associate degree nursing program can practice as RNs upon passing the licensure exam. As many health care organizations, especially larger hospital systems, prefer hiring nurses who have earned bachelor’s degrees, Greenville Technical College has partnered with several four-year colleges and universities to develop transfer agreements. GTC graduates move seamlessly into bachelor’s degree programs, with the clinical experience they gained during their associate degree providing a strong foundation for further study.
“We are extremely grateful to the anonymous donors who have done something positive in the midst of a pandemic,” said Ann Wright, vice president for advancement with the Greenville Tech Foundation. “Nurses are making a tremendous difference for all of us these days, and their heroic efforts should be rewarded. This donation helps those who will soon be ready to serve on the front lines.”
To see more photos from the event, go to www.facebook.com/GreenvilleTech