McNeese, Sowela collaborate nursing program transfer agreement

Published 5:38 am Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Southwest Louisiana nursing students will now have more versatile higher education options. Sowela Technical Community College and McNeese State University signed an articulation agreement on Tuesday to make the credit transfer process between the two institutions easier for nursing students in Southwest Louisiana.

Representatives from Sowela and McNeese gathered to celebrate the transfer agreement.

This agreement was made possible through the interconnective partnership between the two universities.

“This nursing transfer agreement is another collaborative effort between McNeese and Sowela that makes the pathway to a bachelor’s degree a seamless process,” said Sowela Chancellor Neil Aspinwall.

He said this unique partnership has made attaining an advanced degree more possible for Southwest Louisiana residents. “Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana are fortunate to have two strong higher educational institutions that are constantly working together to make the attainment of an advanced degree more accessible while removing the obstacles that prevent success,” he said.

McNeese President Daryl V. Burckel said McNeese and Sowela share the same goals.

“McNeese and Sowela share a common interest in providing access to quality higher education in Southwest Louisiana,” Burckel said. “Working with Sowela to streamline the transfer process between our academic programs is in the best interest of the region and our economy.”

Sowela student Zach Schwartzenburg will be positively impacted by the articulation agreement.

He began his path in higher education at McNeese to pursue a science degree. After seeing the hard work of nurses during the birth of his son, he decided that nursing was the right path for him. “There were nurses from Sowela while we were in the labor process,” he said. “They were able to help my wife and our family during that time.” He explained that he began to talk to the nurses there about their RN program, and then began exploring Sowela’s opportunities.

Darlene Hoffpauir, marketing and communications manager at Sowela, spoke to the importance of interconnectivity between the two schools and how it benefits Southwest Louisiana. “We have 2 academic institutions, and when we’re able to better serve our community and students,” she said. “The agreement that was signed today is a perfect example of that.

Sowela was a suitable school for him, he said. “I saw that I could get a degree in two years and get my RN, so I used the credits from my prerequisites at McNeese, transferred to Sowela and applied those to my degree that I’m working towards right now.”

Now, thanks to the transfer agreement, Schwartzenburg will have the opportunity to take the credits he earned at SOWELA to return to McNeese to earn his Bachelors. “That’s why this agreement benefits people like me who would want to work towards a Bachelors of Science in Nursing.”

Schwartzenburg said that while he is still new to the program, the benefits of Sowela are already clear to him. He stated that the hands-on learning, tangible experience and receptive teachers are already preparing him to join the workforce.

General education courses can be transferred to McNeese and applied to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN Program) from McNeese’s College of Nursing and Health Professions upon completion of Sowela’s Associate of Science (ASN) in Nursing program.

After Sowela students earn their ASN and obtain their RN licensure, McNeese will grant them 39 credits of advanced placement nursing credits. After these steps are completed, transfer students will need to complete at least 30 additional credits of nursing coursework at McNeese to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

The agreement will run for 5 years. In 2027, the renewal options will be available.

In addition to the new Nursing School transfer agreement between McNeese and Sowela, transfer agreements in the schools of Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Arts and General Studies are available. Hoffpauir confirmed there are plans to create more transfer agreements between McNeese and Sowela in the future.

Sowela also has transfer agreements with Louisiana Christian University, Louisiana State University at Alexandria, Louisiana Tech University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University and University of Louisiana at Lafayette.