Message from the Dean

Dr. Tia Bell, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, Dean, Leighton School of Nursing

Hello, and thank you for your interest in Marian University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. This program is accessible to second-degree and transfer students who have previously earned a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or completed a required amount of non-nursing college credits. Our comprehensive accelerated curriculum of online-based coursework, in-person skills and simulation labs, and clinical rotations at top area healthcare facilities can help qualified students earn a BSN degree in as few as 16 months.

Marian’s ABSN program is delivered through learning sites on the Northwest side of Indianapolis and within Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville. A transfer admissions pathway also exists for students in Indianapolis. Each of our sites supports students with the instructors, equipment, and connections with clinical partners they will need to receive a comprehensive nursing education.

To current Marian students, know that I started in the same place as you: as someone striving to earn a nursing degree from Marian. I went through many of the same nursing school challenges you may be experiencing, including trying to find a work-life balance and ensuring I had the right study skills to succeed. I started out working in a hospital, just like many graduates. I worked my way up through being an educator on a clinical unit, working in informatics education, earning a master's degree while working full-time, and eventually branching out into nursing academics.

I believe in order to succeed in our ABSN program, a student needs to have commitment to the nursing profession. It’s a profession about caring, compassion and heart, and those characteristics can carry you far. Recognize that the program is rigorous, and try to organize your responsibilities in a way that can bring you success throughout this 16-month period.

Marian nurses have a reputation for caring and implementing the University’s Franciscan values. Nurses from any accredited institution can have the skills and knowledge to care for patients, but it takes a special nurse to create a relationship with a patient and make them truly feel cared for. Patients feel like we care, because we do care. And we support their needs in a way that some other institutions may not be able to do.

We cannot wait to welcome you to Marian, as we provide a nursing education that helps you begin your future career and allows you to provide a high level of patient care sooner. I welcome you to the Marian family and wish you the best in your studies.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tia Bell '00, DNP, RN-BC, CNE
Dean, Leighton School of Nursing
Marian University

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