By Norm Allgood, CEO, Synergis Education
As the adult learning population continues to grow, so does the need for a diversified approach to learning delivery. There is no such thing as a “one size fits all” model, which is why it is so important to place students and programs at the center of the learning equation. Doing so enables institutions to select the optimal mode(s) of delivery, whether that’s face-to-face, online or a blend of the two. These three delivery options form the 3Modality™ approach.
Core to the strategic approach of Synergis, this is exactly what we did when we partnered with Gwynedd Mercy University to launch our first Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program through Gwynedd Mercy University’s Frances M. Maguire School of Nursing and Health Professions in May.
The new nursing skills lab designed for Gwynedd Mercy University’s
ABSN program in Center City Philadelphia enables
students to practice hands-on learning.
Representing a fundamental shift from pure online expansion, we worked together to design this program – which enables students who have an existing bachelor’s degree to become a nurse in as little as 15 months – to be delivered in a face-to-face setting at one of the University’s satellite campuses in Center City Philadelphia. To accommodate this new program, working together with the strong leadership at Gwynedd Mercy University we completed a renovation of the school’s space at Sixth and Chestnut Street, including the build out of a brand new clinical lab, high-fidelity simulation lab, and classroom and office space.
This renovation and program launch sets in motion a facility that now offers face-to-face instruction that is so critical to the nursing profession, while at the same time creating a learning hub that recruits for online-only programs.
No longer is a student or Gwynedd Mercy University limited by the confines of a face-to-face classroom environment or the digital barriers of being completely online. Instead, they benefit from the flexibility of multiple modalities.
This is a perfect example of our 3Modality™ in action and the implicit opportunity for learning centers to enhance their course offerings. The value for students is also evidenced with strong interest and enrollment in the ABSN program at Gwynedd Mercy University. We surpassed the target goal for the initial cohort of students, and before we could even cut the ribbon on the new state-of-the-art facility in Philadelphia, the school had us planning the execution of a second ABSN program in Bensalem, building upon the success of the 3Modality™ thesis. We have also begun the expansion of Gwynedd Mercy University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs. The MSN programs are currently offered at the University’s main campus in Gwynedd Valley.
Gwynedd Mercy University has long been a recognized leader in nursing education and offering flexible delivery platforms for its cutting-edge programs will only contribute to its continuing legacy of student service. I am extremely proud of our partnership with Gwynedd Mercy University and the powerful case for 3Modality™ it provides.