--- title: Kearney-Area Students Gain Early Admission Pathway to UNMC Nursing Program description: Kearney-Area Students Gain Early Admission Pathway to UNMC Nursing Program image: https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/858737803_1459595899355868_4686245347215567967_n.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/kearney-area-students-gain-early-admission-pathway-to-unmc-nursing-program#main-content) [![Development Council for Buffalo County logo](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/Development%20Council%20Logo_1-23-23_V1.png)](https://growbuffalocounty.com) - About Buffalo County - [Communities](https://growbuffalocounty.com/communities) - [Livability](https://growbuffalocounty.com/live) - [Labor](https://growbuffalocounty.com/work) - Site Selectors - [Sites & Buildings](https://growbuffalocounty.com/sites-buildings) - [Target Industries](https://growbuffalocounty.com/target-industries) - [Regional Data](https://growbuffalocounty.com/regional-data) - [Location Advantages](https://growbuffalocounty.com/location-advantages) - Strategic Initiatives - [Build Buffalo County](https://growbuffalocounty.com/build-buffalo-county) - Business Support - [Incentives](https://growbuffalocounty.com/incentives) - [Resources](https://growbuffalocounty.com/resources) - [Entrepreneurs](https://growbuffalocounty.com/big-idea-buffalo-county) - About DCBC - [Services](https://growbuffalocounty.com/services-1) - [Staff](https://growbuffalocounty.com/staff) - [Board](https://growbuffalocounty.com/board) - [Investors](https://growbuffalocounty.com/membership) - [News](https://growbuffalocounty.com/news) - [Contact Us](https://growbuffalocounty.com/contact-us) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ![UNMC signing](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/858737803_1459595899355868_4686245347215567967_n.jpg) # Kearney-Area Students Gain Early Admission Pathway to UNMC Nursing Program [![Amanda Polacek](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Amanda%20Polacek.png?width=52&height=52&name=Amanda%20Polacek.png)](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/amanda-polacek) [Amanda Polacek](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/amanda-polacek) Published Oct 21, 2026 Reading Time 2 min read ![858737803\_1459595899355868\_4686245347215567967\_n](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/858737803_1459595899355868_4686245347215567967_n.jpg?width=1791&height=1249&name=858737803_1459595899355868_4686245347215567967_n.jpg)Source: [News Channel Nebraska](https://central.newschannelnebraska.com/story/364492639/kearney-area-students-gain-early-admission-pathway-to-unmc-nursing-program) Local high school students have a new opportunity to secure a spot in nursing school before graduating, part of an effort to address Nebraska's ongoing nursing shortage. The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing signing agreements Tuesday with Kearney Public Schools, Kearney Catholic Schools and Lexington Public Schools, establishing new pathways for students interested in nursing careers. Through UNMC's High School Early Admission Program qualifying students can reserve a seat in the College of Nursing's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at its Kearney campus. UNMC College of Nursing Dean Lepaine Sharp-McHenry said the program is designed to remove barriers to nursing education, particularly for students in rural Nebraska. "We're about 6,700 nurses down across the state of Nebraska, and the shortage of those nurses is greatest in western Nebraska," said Sharp-McHenry. She explained that admission to nursing programs can be highly competitive. "Most students apply to 8 to 12 nursing programs just to get into one program," she said. "And so by creating this early pathway, we are removing that barrier where they don't have to compete for a seat." The agreements are part of UNMC's broader effort to strengthen its partnerships with high schools and encourage more nursing graduates to remain in the communities where they receive their education. Three students also signed letters of intent to participate in the program during Tuesday's ceremony in Kearney. Among them was Kearney Catholic student Taya Moseley, who said her own experiences receiving medical care inspired her to pursue a career in pediatric nursing. "I've had some previous health issues and I was actually a patient at Children's in Omaha,"said Moseley. "Ever since then I've just felt a calling to become a pediatric nurse, and this is just a great first step into that nursing career." Moseley said her education at Kearney Catholic has also shaped how she hopes to approach patient care. "I've learned a lot at Kearney Catholic with really getting to know the person, not just the diagnosis," she added. Kearney Public Schools Superintendent Jason Mundorf and Kearney Catholic Principal Matthew Rogers also spoke at the ceremony, emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for local students to pursue careers in health care. [![Amanda Polacek](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Amanda%20Polacek.png?width=64&height=64&name=Amanda%20Polacek.png) Amanda Polacek](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/author/amanda-polacek) Share [Healthcare](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/tag/healthcare) [University of Nebraska Medical Center](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/tag/university-of-nebraska-medical-center) #### Let's Connect We’d love to hear from you—reach out anytime and let’s start the conversation. ## Related Posts [New Census of Agriculture shows Nebraska is a farming powerhouse CENTRAL CITY, Neb. — Nebraska's an agricultural powerhouse and the numbers back it up. 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Within the policy and po...](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/development-council-for-buffalo-county-blog/news-center/p/item/61333/commentary-next-steps-for-nebraskas-future) ![edcc-logo-1](https://blog.growbuffalocounty.com/hubfs/edcc-logo-1.svg) **Development Council for Buffalo County** 220 11th Avenue Kearney, NE 68845 [(308) 237-9346](tel:+1308-237-9346)[mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com](mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com) [info@growbuffalocounty.com](mailto:info@growbuffalocounty.com) - [Buffalo County](https://buffalocounty.ne.gov/) - [City of Kearney](https://cityofkearney.org/) - [Kearney Area Chamber](https://www.kearneycoc.org/) - [Kearney Visitors Bureau](https://visitkearney.org/) - [Contact](https://growbuffalocounty.com/contact-us) - [Site Map](https://242034849.hs-sites-na2.com/sitemap.xml) © 2025 Development Council for Buffalo County. All rights reserved. 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