East Central Community College is excited to announce the upcoming launch of an innovative Associate Degree in Nursing evening and weekend program, dubbed “Weekend Warriors,” scheduled to start in January 2024.

The program will be held on the ECCC campus in Decatur, offering a new flexible schedule with classes taking place on Thursday evenings, Friday evenings and Saturdays.

Dr. Donna Everett, the dean of Healthcare Education at ECCC, highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating, “This program caters to students who have weekday commitments, providing them with the opportunity to pursue an ADN without compromising the quality of their education or other responsibilities that they carry on a weekly basis.”

To gain admission to the ADN Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• complete the Associate Degree Nursing Program application;

• attain a minimum composite score of 18 on the ACT;

• have a cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.00 or higher;

• successfully complete anatomy and physiology I (or upper-level equivalents) with labs, anatomy and physiology II (or upper-level equivalents) with labs, and microbiology with lab (or upper-level equivalent with lab) with a grade of “C” or higher in each course before commencing nursing classes;

• complete a pre-admission examination, scheduled by the Office of Healthcare Education, at the applicant’s expense; and

• be at least 18 years of age.

While applicants may be accepted into the ADN program before completing all prerequisite courses, these prerequisites must be completed before beginning nursing classes. Prospective students can access the application online at www.eccc.edu/ADNapplication, with priority registration closing on Oct. 31. Please note that seating is limited.

The ADN evening/weekend program is funded with a $1.3 million grant from Accelerate MS, which covers faculty salaries and program costs. Student tuition is not part of the grant.