Founded in 1888 as a school of nursing, Clarkson College has kept pace with changes in health care. Recent updates include a renovated interactive learning center equipped with the latest technology; two new undergraduate program offerings; graduate scholarships for nurse educators; and the first Medical 3D Printing Specialist certificate in the nation.
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Clarkson College is closely affiliated with Nebraska Medicine and Clarkson Regional Health Services, with 98 percent of its students obtaining jobs by the time they graduate. Clarkson College’s outreach extends to rural communities as well as underserved populations in Omaha.
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“Our strategic plan includes two major initiatives,” explained Gary Pack, Ed.D., interim president. “One initiative will allow health care professionals in rural Nebraska to update their credentials without leaving home, and the other will offer enhanced opportunities to prospective students from minority and underserved populations in Omaha.”
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Clarkson College is accepting applications for two new programs that will open in fall 2022: a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Community Health, Pre-Health Professional option, in which students will explore various health care fields before focusing on one area.
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At the graduate level, the College recently received a $1.1-million-dollar grant from the NFLP (Nurse Faculty Loan Program) to provide financial assistance to students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in nurse education. The loans are 85% forgivable if the recipient works as a nurse educator for at least four consecutive years. Clarkson College’s student population includes many individuals who are employed part-time or even full-time. “About 40% of our students are 24 to 28 years of age,” Dr. Pack mentioned, “and probably 60% are 100% online. We have students from all 50 states, and a lot of our adjunct faculty operate out of other states.”
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Dr. Pack is proud that Clarkson College was able to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Our faculty and staff decided to do whatever was necessary so students would be able to graduate on time.”
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After spending decades as a school superintendent, Dr. Pack served as president of Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Cincinnati before being appointed as interim president at Clarkson College.
Gary Pack, Ed.D.
Clarkson College
br101 S. 42nd St., Omaha, NE 68131
402.552.3100
This article originally appeared in the October 2021 issue of Omaha Magazine, in the Education Special Advertising Section. To subscribe to the magazine, click here.
