New Career-Ready Program Lets High Schoolers Begin Nursing Degree Early

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 19, 2025) – Galen College of Nursing and Norton Healthcare expanded their partnership to launch the Career-Ready Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Program, offering high school seniors in Jefferson, Bullitt, and Oldham counties the opportunity to begin their nursing education while completing their high school diplomas.

Starting in January 2026, students may begin nursing courses through Galen’s ADN curriculum, while completing any existing credits to graduate high school. The goal is for students to graduate from high school and then continue seamlessly toward completing their ADN with Galen by December 2027.

The new program expands on the successful partnership between Galen College of Nursing and Norton Healthcare, which offered a similar program for the Practical Nursing Diploma. By extending the opportunity to the ADN pathway, both organizations aim to accelerate the pipeline of skilled registered nurses into the Louisville-area health care workforce.

“Norton Healthcare and Galen College of Nursing have worked side-by-side for many years to strengthen healthcare in the Louisville community,” said Dr. Kelli Selvage, Dean of Galen’s Louisville Campus. “This Career-Ready Program is another powerful example of what’s possible when we come together with a shared commitment to preparing the next generation of nurses.”

Students selected to participate in the program must be accepted into the Norton Healthcare Scholars Program, a loan forgiveness program that provides financial assistance to students pursuing or continuing a health care-related degree in a specified area of workforce need. Those accepted as a Norton Healthcare Scholar sign a contract agreeing to work for Norton Healthcare upon graduation.

“Strategic partnerships provide multiple practice ready benefits to our community and the patients we proudly serve,” said Brittany Burke, DNP, R.N., NEA-BC, system director, Norton Healthcare Institute for Education & Development. “The Career-Ready ADN Program allows our Norton Healthcare nurses to support the education of students, at our hospitals, throughout the program. Students are an integral part of health care and when we come together for a common purpose, we go further, faster.”

Applications for the first cohort of the Career-Ready ADN Program will open on September 2, 2025, with the first classes beginning in January 2026. Information about the program will be distributed to high school seniors beginning August 18. Students and families interested in learning more can email the Norton Healthcare Center for Nursing Practice, Schools of Nursing team at SON@nortonhealthcare.org.

Students may email AdmissionsTeam@galencollege.edu for questions about Galen College of Nursing’s associate degree curriculum, program admissions and participation requirements.