UNCW’s first accelerated nursing class graduates amid growing healthcare needs
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Eleven students made history Saturday as the first graduates of the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, a milestone university leaders say will help address the region’s growing need for nurses.
The accelerated program condenses two years of nursing education into 14 months and is designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field and want to transition quickly into nursing.
“It’s very intense, it’s very focused, and it really does build resilience and confidence in these students to go out and conquer the world,” said Dr. Trish Suplee, director of UNCW’s School of Nursing.
The program launches as North Carolina faces a projected shortage of nearly 17,500 registered nurses by 2033, according to state workforce projections. As southeastern North Carolina continues to grow, healthcare providers are expected to need thousands of additional workers to meet demand.
For graduate Boyce Evans, nursing offered something his previous career could not.
“I was on a different career path, and I felt that that career didn’t have much heart to it,” Evans said. “That’s what I found in nursing — the heart, the human connection, and to really make a difference in my community.”
Although the inaugural class included just 11 graduates, Suplee said the program is already expanding. The next cohort has more than doubled in size, reflecting strong interest in the accelerated pathway.
Suplee said UNCW is positioning itself to play a larger role in the region’s healthcare workforce, particularly as plans continue to move forward for a proposed medical school.
“The need is going to be there,” Suplee said. “The need for the next 10 years, the next 15 years is crucial. … We’re really going to be in trouble if we don’t continue to graduate enough nurses.”
Several graduates have already secured jobs. Rachel Cobb will remain in Wilmington, where she has accepted a position in the emergency department at Novant Health.
“I knew that I wanted to be in a role where I was helping people,” Cobb said. “Nursing felt like that area where I could combine my love for science with my heart for helping people.”
University leaders say they hope the accelerated program will continue to grow and help strengthen the healthcare workforce across the Cape Fear region for years to come.
This comes after the public comment period on the competing hospital proposals from Novant Health, Atrium Health and UNC Health closed on July 31.
A public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20 at the Arboretum Education Center meeting room on Oleander Drive in Wilmington.
