Sentara Health will develop a new College of Health Sciences at Virginia Wesleyan University, the two institutions announced Monday.
The details of the partnership haven’t been hammered out yet, but a statement from the health system and university said they’re aiming to minimize disruption and ensure continuity for students, faculty and staff.
The move comes two months after Sentara College of Health Sciences, an arm of the state’s largest healthcare system, announced it would stop offering degree programs for nurses and other health professions after 130 years.
Many students publicly aired concerns and frustrations online, complaining they were blindsided and didn’t know where they’d end up after spending months or years in Sentara’s program.
The college announced on April 17 that it was “taking steps to align our academic model with current and emerging workforce needs across the communities we serve,” working on partnering with colleges and universities to continue programs.
Virginia Wesleyan President Scott Miller said Monday the two institutions had been in discussions since February.
"I think they were exploring academic partners that were synergistic partners, partners that would continue the quality of the program, the traditions of the program, and the good name of Sentara College of Health Sciences in a way that would forward the agenda of health education in this region," Miller told WHRO. "There there are so many jobs that are available, and they were looking for a partner that would grow the program, and that's our intent."
Miller noted VWU had already been running a joint nursing program with Sentara - one that awards a bachelor's degree - and that existing Sentara students would be allowed to continue in that program.
He said plan is to continue operating Sentara College of Health Sciences as it transitions to becoming a part of Virginia Wesleyan University. Over the next few years, operations would transition from the existing Sentara campus in Chesapeake's Greenbrier area to VWU's Virginia Beach campus.
NOTE: Virginia Wesleyan President Scott Miller sits on WHRO’s governing board, which is not involved in editorial decisions.
