Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College’s nursing program has received accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The program began in 2023, and in may the campus celebrated the first cohort of nursing graduates. KBOCC’s nursing program offers an essential service to students and the community. Providing the education to add quality nurses to local health providers and hand on learning opportunities that integrate students within local hospitals and clinics.
Facilities here have been great partners for us as well. They truly enjoy having our students at their facilities, know, learning their skills and helping out,” said Nursing Department Chair Paula Roth. “And then they’ve also started programs at both facilities where students can potentially be hired already before graduation.”
KBOCC’s nursing program grew out of its health sciences associate degree program. Nursing Department Chair Paula Roth was hired by the college in 2019 to start a nursing program. She says starting with the health sciences provided the college, and its students with a base to build upon. Several courses between the degree programs overlap and are perquisites for nursing students.
And it also helps them understand better the medical field or the health care field by learning medical terminology, understanding and know the psychology of individuals, because that plays a huge role also in your care of patients, understanding how the human mind works, and understanding personalities,” explained Roth. “So the prerequisite courses help them build that foundation to enter the core courses for nursing.”
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College has also recently announced articulation agreements. The new routes for students to expand their education align with the college’s new strategic plan that emphasizes building relationships with other institutions, and to seek out partnerships. The most recent connection to Northern Michigan University will open pathways for students to pursue bachelor’s degrees in psychology and environmental science. The college has existing articulation agreements for students to further build upon their education at NMU, Bay Mills Community College, and Lake Superior State University. Students can also take advantage of the college’s Michigan Transfer Agreement to pursue programs at other institutions.
And so, the strategic plan talks a lot about being in relationships and building partnerships,” shared KBOCC President Melissa Kiesewetter. “And so, we really feel that, for example, the articulation agreement opportunities that we’re building is another way to build relationships with our other higher ed partners in the state.”
he Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College has welcomed new students to the campus for the 2026-27 academic year. Kiesewetter says the school continues to see a steady rate of enrollment, with the nursing program being one of its fastest growing degree programs. Learn more about academic opportunities at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College online.
