Jamestown Community College officials anticipate that a new Licensed Practical Nurse program will begin for the fall semester.

Vice President of Academic Affairs Jessica Kubiak told JCC Trustees Tuesday that she will be submitting to State University of New York officials paperwork for the new LPN program.

“This is a new program that we hope will both help fill existing needs in our areas, in terms of workforce and healthcare settings, but also put people on a path to completing the A.A.S. (Associate of Applied Science) in nursing so they can complete their RN,” Kubiak said. “We do anticipate that students will probably take three semesters to complete, though, technically they could complete it in two semesters.”

JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte said the program will stack nicely into JCC’s Registered Nursing program. JCC, DeMarte said, has an agreement with the Cassadaga Job Corps in which the future LPN program is designed around the JCC-Job Corps program.

According to a program press release, The LPN program is designed to support a diverse student population, beginning with a focus on Job Corps participants, many of whom come from underserved backgrounds and are seeking pathways into stable, in-demand careers.

“This focus reflects our commitment to expanding access to healthcare education and supporting workforce development in our region. As the program grows, we plan to broaden outreach to serve the wider community, helping to meet the increasing demand for skilled nursing professionals across our service area,” the release read.

The LPN program, the release noted, is a key component of JCC’s commitment to addressing the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals.

“By integrating rigorous academic instruction with immersive clinical and simulation-based training, the program develops workforce-ready graduates equipped to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care across a range of healthcare settings. … Graduates are fully prepared to pass the NCLEX-PN and contribute immediately and meaningfully to the healthcare workforce,” the release noted.

For more information visit sunyjcc.edu.

In other business, trustees learned that Cattaraugus County Campus Executive Director Paula Snyder will be retiring in December.

Snyder oversees operations in Olean. According to sunyjcc.edu, she has previously served as the campus nurse from 1992 until 2005, at which time she was appointed director of college health services. Snyder has worked 43 years as a nurse in fields of intensive care, home care, and hospice before coming to JCC. She received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from SUNY Plattsburgh and has held a number of community organization and elected public offices in Olean and Cattaraugus County.

“After 33 years of wonderful years, I can’t thank Peg Cornell enough for giving me the opportunity in 1992 to work all this time in so many roles,” Snyder said. “Daniel, I can’t thank you enough and this board of trustees for giving me that vote of confidence to run this Olean campus.”