Friday was a packed day for the 48 nursing students who will begin their ABSN classes on Monday.
Tina Jones II, a decorated model skeleton who is the unofficial ASLU-PC mascot, greeted them in the morning for a resources fair. The group then filled a Loveridge Hall lecture hall to learn everything from the history of the school, which dates back to the 1890s, to what is and is not proper scrub attire.
After the traditional orientation lunch — a buffet from Baba’s Mediterranean Grill — students broke out into groups with their orientation leaders to tour the campus. Stops included the ELC (experiential learning center), which are high-fidelity simulations of actual healthcare settings; the library; the Dean’s Office and the student life building.
What is ‘ABSN’?
The accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (ABSN) program is a 12-month course of study for students who already have their bachelor’s degree in another subject.
The program is rigorous with few breaks, but these nurses-to-be will be prepared to take their NCLEX exams once they finish in June 2025.
Meet the ABSN ’25 Cohort
- Total students: 48
- Average age: 28
- States represented: Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and California
- Gender: 73% female, 27% male
- Language: 16% speak more than one language
- Most common major: Biology
- Other majors: Psychology, theatre arts, intelligence studies, foreign languages, criminal studies, art, industrial and systems engineering
- Prior careers include: Natural resource conservationist, police officer, veteran, barista and undergraduate student
