DSU and NDSU sign partnership to expand advanced practice nursing education and fill workforce gaps
Fargo, N.D., June 18, 2026 – Through a new partnership between NDSU and Dickinson State University, an academic and clinical pathway has been developed that allows graduates of DSU’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to pursue advanced practice nursing education through NDSU’s Family Nurse Practitioner program. The signing ceremony, held in the Nursing Simulation Lab in NDSU’s Aldevron Tower, featured remarks from both university presidents, DSU nursing faculty and NDSU’s interim associate dean of the School of Nursing.
The agreement will offer DSU BSN graduates access to the FNP program at NDSU, allowing them to learn locally at DSU while connected to classrooms in Fargo and Bismarck, as well as through regionally located clinical experiences within southwest North Dakota. These efforts help address both universities’ shared missions to meet rural healthcare needs and expand workforce readiness in North Dakota.
“Through this collaboration, we’re able to maximize the state’s investment without duplicating programs, which I think is really important in today’s landscape of higher education,” said NDSU President Marshall Stewart. “It allows us to more deeply focus on outcomes such as adding providers and building better access to strengthen our rural communities.”
DSU President Scott Molander reiterated that this partnership is so much more than providing access to ongoing education. “It’s all about providing opportunity to do so without the need to relocate, and that’s really important,” Molander said. “I hear it over and over again from the community about how people don’t want to move, they don’t want to travel, they want to stay in their hometown.”
While the new partnership will expand opportunities for students locally, it will also benefit North Dakota residents.
“I’m excited for DSU BSN graduates to have the opportunity to remain local while building their careers and strengthening the healthcare workforce,” said Melissa Wagner, DSU assistant professor of nursing.
NDSU will reserve seats in the FNP program annually for DSU BSN graduates. Students who enroll in the FNP program will be advised through NDSU and will learn through in-person distance learning, and regional clinical experiences.
“This partnership is really about preparing the next generation of nurse practitioners for highly skilled health care in North Dakota,” said Mykell Barnacle, NDSU interim associate dean of the School of Nursing and professor of practice. “Graduates of the program will be prepared to address primary care needs in the communities of North Dakota that often face provider shortages. This agreement is designed to address the realities of delivering health care in North Dakota.”
The program officially launches in the fall semester. For more information, prospective students can contact the admissions offices at Dickinson State University or North Dakota State University.