Connect with Us!
Fall 2019
Connect with Us! is a quarterly newsletter that features UTEP Connect's online programs and the faculty, staff and students associated with them.
Featured Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing RN-BSN Option
The RN-BSN program is offered through UTEP's School of Nursing. It is accredited by the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education (CCNE) and its fully online format is convenient and flexible for busy nurses. It has also been ranked in the top 20 most affordable programs of its kind by BestValueSchools.com and is highly competitive with no statistics requirement.
UTEP Edge
Our student success initiative, the UTEP Edge, develops upon students’ assets through a variety of high-impact experiences. These experiences are designed to improve student skills and give UTEP students a competitive advantage as they move forward in their lives and careers. Our goal as a campus is to provide these UTEP Edge experiences to all students, regardless of their area of study, so they will graduate with a competitive advantage over their peers.
UTEP Edge and the RN-BSN
Edge experiences RN-BSN students will have
- Capstone Experiences
- Community Engagement
- Creative Activities
- Online Experiences
- Research and Scholarly Activities
Edge skills they will graduate with
- Leadership
- Problem Solving
- Communication
- Social Responsibility
- Confidence
- Teamwork
- Critical Thinking
- Global Awareness
RN-BSN Graduate Spotlight: Patricia White
Patricia White is a resident of Houston, Texas, and a mother of four. She grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and got her RN diploma there over 30 years ago. While she could have worked towards her BSN and even had it paid for by her employer, Patricia was young and "too busy having fun and being single" to do it. Her four children are now grown and graduating from high school, college and medical school, and Patricia decided it was time to go back to school and get that BSN degree that she had put on hold for so long.
Patricia is now a proud graduate of UTEP's RN-BSN program.
"My professors were available to help when needed. They even gave us their cell phone numbers to call when we have questions or concerns. That really shocked me. They were very supportive and truly want us to succeed."
RN-BSN Faculty Spotlight
Diane Rankin, MSN, RN | Clinical Assistant Professor, RN-BSN Program
Diane Rankin is an online instructor in UTEP's traditional BSN undergraduate program and in the RN to BSN program. She has taught at UTEP since 2004, initially in face-to-face settings, and continued to teach online after moving to Georgia in July 2013. Having taught both face-to-face and online, Diane understands what works in each modality and has learned how to best engage students and foster critical thinking in the online setting.
Diane loves teaching in the RN-BSN program because it builds on the education and knowledge that a registered nurse has and opens up professional opportunities that a bachelor's degree affords; it may lead to graduate school as well. She also enjoys mentoring her students and being a part of their lives as they navigate work, family and school.
"Interestingly, I find that I know my online students perhaps better than I knew the traditional face-to-face students. In the traditional setting, you get to know the brightest and the ones who are struggling. In the online setting, each student is required to communicate their thoughts/feelings and critically think through discussion board situations providing the instructor insight into each student’s thought processes."
Related Articles and Resources
From the blog: You know that earning a BSN degree is the key to advancing beyond basic clinical care, but you can’t afford to take years away from work while you complete your studies. An online RN to BSN degree from UTEP Connect is your perfect solution. Learn more.
In the news: The UTEP School of Nursing celebrated the program’s 30th anniversary on National Nurses Day earlier this year, on May 6, 2019. Since 1989, hundreds of registered nurses have earned their bachelor’s degrees from UTEP’s RN-to-BSN program. Learn more.
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
UTEP Connect
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