Bay College Nursing Program Wins State Approval, New Cohort Set for 2026

The Michigan State Board of Nursing approved Bay College's Practical Nursing program for its Escanaba campus, ending a 13-month pause that had left the college without an active pathway for new LPN students since February 2025.

The three-semester certificate program, which prepares students to become Licensed Practical Nurses through hands-on clinical training, will admit its first new cohort in mid-May 2026. Bay College Dean of Allied Health and Nursing Dr. Patrick Reinhard called it a turning point: "This approval represents an important step forward for our institution and the communities we serve. By offering practical nursing education close to home, we are creating pathways to meaningful careers while addressing critical healthcare staffing needs across our region."

The program's suspension in February 2025 stemmed from a compliance gap that had gone unaddressed for years. Although the Michigan Board of Nursing first approved Bay College's nursing program in 1967, the three-semester curriculum did not meet updated requirements the board adopted in 2018. When the accreditation deficiency came to light, Bay College paused new admissions but allowed students already enrolled to complete their coursework. Those students graduated in May 2025, and the college confirmed that all past graduates remained unaffected.

Bay College said it has equipment, faculty, and personnel in place at both its Escanaba and Iron Mountain campuses, including simulation labs where students complete hands-on training. The Iron Mountain campus sits on U.S. 2 on the city's north side, while the Escanaba campus houses the simulation lab that will serve the newly approved cohort.

The college credited state Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, for his advocacy with the Michigan State Board of Nursing throughout the approval process, and also acknowledged collaboration with community partners, healthcare leaders, faculty, and supporters as essential to securing the outcome.

Details on admission requirements, application timelines, financial aid opportunities, and upcoming information sessions will be released in the coming months. For a region where rural healthcare staffing shortages are an ongoing pressure, those details will carry real weight when they arrive.