Wallace State Community College-Selma has seen a lot of success lately, and the school’s nursing program has been a big part of that success.

For both the 2001 and 2002 school year, the WCCS nursing program had a 100 percent pass rate. This means every student enrolled in the school completed their training and received their associate degree in nursing.

At a time when the nation is suffering from a nursing shortage, this comes as good news to many.

Healthcare employers are offering perks like signing bonuses and tuition payments these days. This gives students incentives to finish their training.

Becky Casey, ADN director, said another reason for the program’s success is the community college setting.

Being able to have close contact with instructors is important during the training. Becoming a nurse is hard work and students receive intense study in science, biology, anatomy, and math.

All of the nursing instructors have been with WCCS for more than 15 years. Casey said her staff keeps up-to-date with new technology and knows how to train students for modern medical settings.

Vaughan Regional Medical Center has also played a major role in the nursing program. During the students’ last semester, they get to work in a hospital atmosphere and deal first-hand with patients.

There are currently 160 students enrolled in the program. Casey said 30 of them will graduated this spring.