The demand for qualified nurses remains significant across northeast North Dakota and throughout the state. Lake Region State College (LRSC) responds to this need by offering nursing education in numerous locations, including Grand Forks. 

Lake Region State College, headquartered in Devils Lake, ND, began offering practical nurse education in Grand Forks in 2014. It expanded to associate degree (RN) education in 2018. This August, the Grand Forks Nursing program moved to a new dedicated space for classrooms and labs. The space is on the lower level of Altru Clinic, located at 1300 South Columbia, the Altru Health System campus.

To commemorate the new location, LRSC and Altru held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 9 in the new nursing area.
As a Dakota Nursing Program consortium, LRSC has strengthened the local healthcare workforce. Many graduates stay in North Dakota to work or continue their nursing education. LRSC has nursing education at its home campus in Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Mayville, and Jamestown.

“I appreciate the collaboration with Altru and our collective focus on finding strong pathways into the local workforce,” said LRSC President Dr. Carmen Simone.

Locating the nurse education program at Altru provides convenient access to labs and clinicals. 

“Having nursing education located within Altru allows students to learn alongside dedicated professionals who are passionate about patient care,” said Cassie Olson, Manager of Education and Patient Experience at Altru. “It’s an incredible opportunity to bridge education and experience, fostering the next generation of nurses right where care happens every day.”