Kehinde C. Oyediran knew he wanted to be a nurse when he finished high school, but he wasn’t sure which educational path would be the best route to his goal. As he prepares for The University of Alabama in Huntsville’s (UAH) May 6 commencement ceremony, he says he’s glad he chose the dual nursing program offered by the UAH College of Nursing in partnership with Calhoun Community College.
“At first, I wanted to be a traditional student,” he says, “but when I went online and saw this opportunity, I thought it would be better for me because I’d be able to save money with scholarships from Calhoun and UAH.”
The program lets community college students enroll in the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program at the community college and in the UAH Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Students can complete both degrees simultaneously in five semesters of full-time study. The ADN courses are held in person at Calhoun, and the BSN coursework is offered online through the UAH College of Nursing.
Along with Calhoun, UAH offers the program in conjunction with the nursing departments of Northeast Alabama Community College and Motlow State Community College. UAH is a part of The University of Alabama System.
Oyediran says he was inspired to pursue a career in nursing by the example of his father, a nurse at Magnolia Trace, as well as other relatives in the health care profession.
“Even before we came to the United States, my dad already had a practice back home in Nigeria. The benefits of being able to impact somebody’s life in a positive way is what has kept me going during my time at UAH. He’s always mentioning how rewarding it is to be a nurse and the way it has impacted his life for the better. I aspire to be able to impact and advocate for others like he has being a nurse.”
Oyediran says he “definitely” would recommend UAH’s dual program to other students seeking a nursing degree.
“Everybody at UAH and Calhoun really wants to see you succeed. From our advisors to the professors, they will give you the resources that you need to succeed. If one of the subjects isn’t one of your strong suits, they will work with you to get you to where you want to be. This program puts the student first.”
Oyediran admits that he was initially concerned about managing the course load at two schools at the same time. That worry evaporated after he began the program.
“They will help you organize and develop a game plan to how you approach both sides of the program. That’s one thing that has really helped me in this program, being able to prioritize my time when I study and when I get my essays done. The resources here are just amazing.”
