Southern State Community College Nursing Program Builds Careers From Classroom

Every year, up to 100 newly licensed nurses leave Southern State Community College and step directly into jobs at hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community health providers across the region. That pipeline, highlighted in a news release published by the People's Defender on March 12, 2026, reflects a program that SSCC describes as a "vital workforce pipeline" for healthcare employers that are actively hiring across southwestern Ohio.

A Program Built for Regional Demand

Southern State operates two distinct nursing tracks from its campuses in Hillsboro and Mt. Orab. The Practical Nursing Program, which leads to licensure as an LPN, is available at both locations, giving students in Highland County and Brown County a campus within reasonable reach. The Registered Nursing Program, which awards an Associate Degree in Nursing and leads to RN licensure, is offered at the Hillsboro campus. For graduates who want to continue beyond an associate degree, transfer pathways for BSN completion and advanced nursing degree options are available, though the college does not specify partner institutions in its current materials.

Class sizes are not left to chance. Clinical cohorts are intentionally limited to maintain high-quality instruction and strong licensure outcomes, a deliberate constraint that shapes how many students move through hands-on training at any given time. That structure, SSCC says, benefits both the students who receive more focused clinical preparation and the employers who eventually hire them as job-ready candidates committed to serving locally.

Outcomes That Speak for Themselves

The results SSCC cites are difficult to dismiss. Graduates consistently exceed state and national benchmarks, with strong first-time NCLEX pass rates that demonstrate readiness for safe, professional practice. The NCLEX, the national licensure examination that every nursing graduate must pass before practicing, serves as the clearest external measure of whether a program's training translates to professional competence.

Employment outcomes follow closely behind licensure. According to the college, 100% of graduates from recent cohorts secured employment in healthcare shortly after licensure, with many placed at local hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community providers throughout the region. No specific employer names appear in SSCC's materials, but the emphasis on local placement is consistent throughout: this is a program designed to fill healthcare roles in the communities its students already call home.

Abby Storrs, Director of Nursing at Southern State Community College, frames the college's mission in those exact terms. "Our commitment is to prepare nurses who are not only clinically competent, but ready to lead and serve in the communities they call home," she said. "When students choose Southern State, they are choosing a direct pathway from classroom to career." Storrs is pictured in program materials leading a classroom discussion on pulmonary health conditions, an image that captures the program's blend of academic instruction and clinically grounded content.

The Pinning Ceremony: Marking the Transition

One of the clearest illustrations of the program's reach is the annual pinning ceremony, a nursing tradition that marks the formal passage from student to graduate. Thirty-eight graduates of Southern State's Associate Degree Nursing Program were recognized during a May 6 pinning ceremony at the college's Central Campus in Hillsboro. The ceremony was modified due to COVID-19 safety requirements, with administrative greetings from SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys and Director of Nursing Dr. Julianne Krebs delivered virtually. Families and guests could watch via the SSCC Facebook page.

Despite the modified format, the pinning itself retained its personal dimension. Friends and family members were welcomed to join their loved ones on stage and present the graduates with the Associate Degree Nursing graduate pins, preserving the ceremony's tradition of marking the moment with someone who matters.

Dr. Boys offered brief but direct congratulations to the graduating class. "We're proud, and grateful, for the career field you have chosen," he said. Dr. Krebs, who served as Director of the nursing program at the time of the ceremony, encouraged those present to join in the excitement and joy as the college celebrated the passage of those graduates into nursing practice.

The 2021 ADN graduating class drew students from across the region. From Adams County, Rebecca Fannin of Winchester was among those recognized. Brown County graduates included Katie Duncan of Lake Waynoka, Hailee Haddix of Williamsburg, Olivia Kistler of Georgetown, Kelsey Morgan of Williamsburg, Jessica Waldbillig of Mt. Orab, Jessica Wallace of Fayetteville, Autumne Williams of Mt. Orab, and Candice Wright of Mt. Orab. Clermont County was represented by Moria Garrison of Blanchester, Kayla McCoy of Cincinnati, and Jaimie Mefford of Amelia. From Clinton County: Leah Deck of Wilmington, Megan Nance of Wilmington, Sydney Newman of Martinsville, Erica Richardson of Wilmington, and Alyssa Stoops of New Vienna. Fayette County sent Christopher Conger, Ashley Franks, Kendal May, Casey Resendiz, and Jennifer Wilson, all from Washington Court House. Hamilton County graduates included Erica Brown and Katelyne Poynter, both from Cincinnati. From Highland County, Bryanna Buerkle of Hillsboro was among those honored. The provided list extends further but was not complete in available source materials.

Who the Program Serves

Southern State's nursing programs draw students from a broad geographic footprint. SSCC explicitly lists graduates from Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Hamilton, Highland, Montgomery, Ross, Scioto, and Warren counties, a service area that spans the better part of southern Ohio. For communities in Adams County and neighboring Highland and Brown counties, where local healthcare capacity matters enormously, having a nursing pipeline this close to home carries real practical weight.

The college's model of hands-on training and clinical partnerships means students are not entering the workforce cold. They gain real-world experience before graduation while the healthcare employers who will eventually hire them have already seen what SSCC-trained candidates can do.

Applying to the Program

Enrollment dates are currently open for prospective students, and SSCC is clear that early application is strongly encouraged given the intentionally limited size of clinical cohorts. The LPN program at both the Hillsboro and Mt. Orab campuses gives prospective students in Adams and Brown counties a viable local option. Those aiming for RN licensure will need to apply to the Hillsboro campus program. Interested applicants can find current enrollment information through Southern State Community College directly at sscc.edu.

For anyone weighing a career in healthcare in this part of Ohio, Southern State's record of licensure success and near-universal post-graduation employment makes a compelling case that the path from classroom to career runs directly through Hillsboro.