Dickinson State University nursing students can further their training under NDSU partnership

FARGO (KVRR) — North Dakota State University is teaming up with a western North Dakota university to help nursing students further their training.

Graduates of Dickinson State University’s nursing program will now be able to get advanced practice nursing education through NDSU’s Family Nurse Practitioner program.

They will be able to continue learning at DSU, while connecting to classes in Fargo and Bismarck.

Presidents of both schools were present at a signing ceremony for the partnership that was held Thursday morning at NDSU’s Aldevron Tower.

Dickinson State’s nursing program was in the spotlight in 2024 as they dealt with restructuring their nursing department, leading to a mass exodus of nursing faculty, and the resignation of the university’s former president.

Both schools say the new partnership will help to meet rural healthcare needs and expand workforce readiness in North Dakota.

“We have a lot of students from across the state. They come from different communities, oftentimes they want to go back to those communities and they want to serve those communities. So nursing is another way they can do that,” said NDSU President Marshall Stewart.

“Knowing that NDSU is helping us just, sort of, you know, everybody is working together, just like we should and we do in North Dakota. And so that’s really, really important,” said Dickinson State University President Scott Molander.

The program officially begins at the start of the fall semester.