Bay IM approved to restart nursing program in January
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ESCANABA/IRON MOUNTAIN -- Bay College Iron Mountain Campus will resume its practical nursing program in January after getting the green light last week from the Michigan Board of Nursing.
The MBON announced the approval at its Thursday meeting, according to a Bay College news release. The move comes after a lengthy process of creating an application and self-study proving the need and sustainability of the program at Bay College, the news release states.
The application and self-study were approved at the September Board of Nursing meeting. A Board of Nursing site visitor did an onsite inspection in October, then submitted an independent report to the MBON members for review.
"There is such a need for LPNs within our communities in the Upper Peninsula, including Dickinson County and the surrounding areas," said Jennifer Farnsworth, recently appointed director of nursing at the Iron Mountain Campus. "I am elated to be able to start a cohort of practical nursing students here in Iron Mountain this January."
The practical nursing program will be a full-time, three semester program, with competitive entry for 16 seats available each year. Students who start in January will have a projected graduation date of December 2027. Interested individuals should fill out an application to Bay College with an interest of practical nursing at the Iron Mountain Campus.
Said Bay College Iron Mountain Campus Executive Director Jason Sullivan, "I am very excited about what this allows Bay to bring to Dickinson County and the surrounding area. This opportunity helps us fulfill one of our core purposes: to serve the community. Ultimately, it allows us to help local residents train for secure, high-demand careers right here at home."
Bay College President Dr. Nerita Hughes added, "This approval represents another step in our commitment to expanding educational opportunities, strengthening our healthcare workforce pipeline, and responding to the critical workforce needs of the communities we serve throughout the Upper Peninsula."
The college's practical nursing program had to be paused in February 2025 after it was discovered the program lacked proper accreditation. Students enrolled at that time were able to complete coursework as scheduled to graduate in May 2025 and past graduates were unaffected.
Although the Michigan Board of Nursing approved Bay College's nursing program in 1967, the three-semester program reportedly did not meet requirements set out by the same board in 2018, college officials stated.
Bay College gained approval in March to resume the practical nursing certificate program at the Bay College Escanaba Campus, starting this past May.