RCSJ, Inspira, and county officials pose with event speaker and second-year nursing student, Theeranut “Apple" Krzyminski (pictured center, holding ribbon), and some of her classmates that will be benefitting from the addition of eight new labs to the Inspira Nursing & Health Professions Center.
On September 25, Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) and Inspira Health hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on the College's Gloucester campus for the newly expanded Inspira Nursing and Health Professions Center. This addition creates more seats for Nursing & Health Professions and Career and Technical Education students so they can prepare to meet the growing need for healthcare professionals in our communities.
“The students you see here with us today are the future of healthcare. The fact that you have all chosen this profession is admirable. We're gathered here today with our premier partner, Inspira Health, to salute and support you," remarked RCSJ president, Frederick Keating, Ed.D.
“I hope that you don't take for granted the support you receive here from the political body at the state and particularly the county level . . . We're here to show everyone that this was a well-spent dollar. That we are enhancing human beings and their ability to survive and thrive in the world in which we find ourselves."
A study released in 2024 by the New Jersey Department of Labor revealed that employment in New Jersey's healthcare industry has nearly doubled over the past three decades, with 11.5% of all workers living in Gloucester County and 15.5% of workers in Cumberland County currently employed within the sector. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that growth will continue, with an additional 1.9 million healthcare jobs opening across the country each year, until 2033.
“Everything the Board of Commissioners do in partnership with RCSJ is to meet the needs of our communities and their residents," said Gloucester County Commissioner director, Frank J. DiMarco. “The stage is set for our students to have access, affordability, scholarship opportunities, and direct hiring opportunities at our local hospitals."
“This is about creating a supply of healthcare professionals to meet a struggling demand," explained Commissioner liaison to education and economic development, Joann Gattinelli. “Gloucester County doesn't sit back and wait for others to solve these problems. We identify the problems, and we take action."
The two-story, 15,000 sq. ft. building addition, paid for in large part thanks to the Securing our Children's Future Bond Act and a matching grant from the County of Gloucester, provides eight additional lab spaces and will increase capacity in the College's healthcare certificate programs. These programs deliver the credentials for immediate employment – including CNA, Medication Aide, Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, and LPN – in as little as three to nine months and lead to acceptance into RCSJ's highly competitive Nursing program.
“This is an exciting time for our Career & Technical Education (CTE) division. This expansion is providing four new labs for our allied health programs, when previously we had one lab that was used for multiple purposes," explained CTE dean, Brigette Satchell. “Many of our programs prepare students for entry-level positions. What's exciting now is, as our students walk through these halls, they'll be able to connect with fellow students in the new R.N. labs upstairs, or other advanced programs, which will give them the opportunity to see where the next leg of their educational journey could go."
Since April 2022, Inspira employees and RCSJ students alike have benefited from the healthcare leader's premier partnership with the College. Students have gained access to programs developed with Inspira's guidance, exclusive scholarships, priority clinical placements, and pre- and post-graduation employment opportunities; and to date, 639 Inspira employees have received a 50% discount on tuition and fees as they study and train at RCSJ to advance their careers.
"Our premier partnership with RCSJ is allowing more people than ever before to pursue careers in health care, right here in South Jersey," said Amy B. Mansue, president and CEO of Inspira Health. “Now, with the expanded capacity made possible by this expansion, even more people will have an opportunity to follow their calling to heal, to counsel and to comfort."
Through this partnership, and in collaboration with Rowan University, the Pathway to Nursing was officially launched last fall to propel local talent into the field in a state that is projected to experience the third highest nursing shortage in the country by 2030, according to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.
“Our students' work begins with hours of studies and guidance from highly qualified faculty. We are privileged to have a core group here at RCSJ that really help guide students to their goal," said RCSJ dean of Nursing & Health Professions, Dr. Susan Hall. “And we are appreciative to our clinical partners – our biggest of course being Inspira – and to the clinical preceptors that provide our students with one-on-one mentorship and help them understand the profession they signed up for."
Students on the Pathway to Nursing utilize the 3+1 Nursing Program to complete their first three years of education at RCSJ and their final year at Rowan University – to earn their B.S.N. for less than $30,000. In addition to the partnership discount on RCSJ tuition and fees, full- and part-time employees of Inspira can have their fourth-year tuition at Rowan University paid in full by Inspira, in exchange for a two-year employment commitment, further reducing the cost of a four-year degree.
From Theeranut “Apple" Krzyminski's perspective, a second-year nursing student at RCSJ, there are also some unadvertised benefits to the premier partnership. She reflected on how much easier it has been to balance the demands of her career as a surgical technician at Inspira's Mullica Hill hospital with those of attending of nursing school when both entities work together as partners for her benefit.
“I absolutely love working in their operating rooms with the different surgical teams. It is that environment, and witnessing the impact we have on our patients' lives, which lead me to the next phase of my journey to an operating nurse," shared Krzyminski.
“I want to thank Inspira. It is because of their mission to support employee education that it's possible for someone in my situation to advance their career while working for them," she continued. “I don't think I'd be in this position right now without an OR staff that works with my school schedule and my clinical schedule. And the tuition support which made going back to school more possible. I am forever grateful for this opportunity and hope others can do the same."
The 3+1 Nursing Program is open to all individuals who meet academic criteria; employment with Inspira is not required for enrollment. However, to enjoy the full benefits of the Pathway to Nursing, RCSJ students are encouraged to explore
Careers.InspiraHealthNetwork.org to discover employment opportunities for job seekers at all levels of education and secure their place on a pathway to graduating with minimal debt and gainful employment.
To learn more about the Pathway to Nursing and the 30+ healthcare degree and certificate programs offered at Rowan College of South Jersey, visit
RCSJ.edu/Inspira.
