Lyon College has announced an academic growth plan that includes a new nursing partnership with a regional health system.
The private liberal arts college in Batesville has proposed a program where registered nurses can earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing. The program would be a partnership with White River Health System.
Pending approval from the Board of Trustees and the College’s regional accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, the nursing program could begin in 2023 and would utilize both the Lyon campus and White River Health System resources.
“Through the past two years, we have all been reminded just how critically important skilled nurses are to our community,” Melissa Taverner, president of Lyon College, said in a news release. “We are proud to partner with our neighbors at White River Medical Center on this wonderful opportunity to serve the Batesville community.”
Lyon College also announced that it's looking to add select graduate programs but did not provide further details.
The school received a $1 million donation last year to help create an endowed professorship and lay the foundation of an institute focused on free enterprise and entrepreneurship. In 2020, it became the first private college in Arkansas to add a data science major to its offerings.
The college has an enrollment of about 600.
