Private school to launch nursing campus in Reno

A private nursing school is negotiating to open a campus in Reno based on an unusual venue selection: It wants to be near Meadowood Mall.

The Apollo College campus in Portland, Ore., is located in a mall, says Dina Faucher, chief nursing officer and dean of nursing.

"The faculty and students just love it." The amenities are vast, she adds, parking is ample and security is great.

That experience led the college to lease 10,000 square feet at 5580 Kietzke Lane, a couple of blocks west of the mall.

Nevada's nursing shortage ranks among the top three nationwide, says Faucher. So Apollo College launched a nursing school in Las Vegas a year ago, and its first class will graduate this spring.

Another reason for situating in Nevada: "We don't have to do any marketing because there is such a long list of potential students," the dean says.

The first Reno class will start next summer with 30 students. Faculty registered nurses with master's degrees are already signed.

The degree program takes 18 to 24 months of full-time study, and tuition costs about $40,000. Recruitment will start in spring.

"Students enrolled in the programs at Portland and Boise have nearly a 100 percent pass rate, nearly unheard of," says Faucher, "because as a private school, we start with such a high caliber of student."

Apollo College, founded in 1976 and based at Mission Viejo, Calif., operates nine campuses throughout the western United States. It offers degree and diploma programs in health care, dental, and veterinary career fields.

The goal of its parent company, U.S. Education Corp., is to be the largest provider of nursing programs in the Southwest, Faucher says. With 17 campuses offering vocational education, it earns over $100 million in revenue.