Nursing Scholars Edge Program gave Butte High grad advantage in launching health care career
When Kieyrah Killoy of Butte was eight years old, she remembers excitedly awaiting the birth of her twin cousins. As an only child, the babies were extra special to her, like sisters she never had.
“Finally, I had babies!” Killoy remembers.
The joyous addition to the family took on a more serious tone when one of the twins had to be flown to Missoula due to a life-threatening condition.
“I remember she was in the NICU and I was so sad because I wasn’t allowed to go in and see her,” Killoy said. “So, I colored pictures in the waiting room for her, and a nurse came out and took the pictures and hung them up around her bassinet. From that moment on, I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to be the one who helped people feel better.”
Killoy was a senior at Butte High when her mother suggested that she consider applying for the Nursing Scholars Edge Direct Entry Program at Montana Technological University.
“I thought I had no chance of getting into the Nursing Scholars Edge Program,” Killoy said. “But the application was very simple, not hard at all. It was very easy to apply.”
The Nursing Scholars Edge Program is a direct entry opportunity that selects 25 top Montana high school seniors every year from a pool of qualified applicants. Additionally, applicants will be considered for a $500 scholarship. All incoming freshmen selected for the Nursing Scholars Edge Program secure clinical spots in the Sherry Lesar School of Nursing. Earning a seat in the clinical program is a highly competitive process for students who don’t have the Nursing Scholars Edge Program advantage. The Sherry Lesar School of Nursing has been named the #1 nursing program in the state in numerous publications over the past several years, and was named a Top 20 BSN Program in the U.S. by EDsmart in 2022. The school’s excellent reputation helps draw applicants from across the United States.
By applying and being selected for one of the Nursing Scholars Edge Program spots, the student needs to maintain a 3.5 grade point average in pre-nursing coursework in order to enroll in the clinical portion of the nursing program, after taking prerequisites. Program participants get to bypass one of the major hurdles to clinical selection: the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam.
The TEAS exam is a test administered to gain admission into the clinical portion of nursing schools. At Montana Tech, your exam score is factored into your application, along with your overall GPA, and grades in certain prerequisites. The TEAS exam is known for being a difficult test, and poor scores can often be a roadblock to clinical placement.
Killoy says not having to take the exam after her third semester was a huge relief.
“I could focus on keeping my GPA up, and my classes, rather than studying for a test,” Killoy said.
As she enters the upper division portion of the nursing program, Killoy says the experience at the Sherry Lesar School of Nursing has been excellent.
“I’ve loved being in the nursing program,” Killoy said. “It’s been great. Anything you need help with, all the instructors are really willing to help you, and you get really close with people in your class. I might not understand something, but my friend understands. We help each other.”
Director of Nursing Janet Coe, calls the program a tremendous opportunity.
"The ability to have direct entry into the clinical portion of a nursing program is a tremendous opportunity for our Montana students,” Coe said. “It awards a prestigious honor for students with a clear understanding of the professional nurse role and who demonstrate high academic performance along with strong work ethic and leadership. Selection criteria gives students from all Montana communities, large and small, an opportunity to be honored."
Montana high school seniors need a 3.5 grade point average to be eligible for the program.Students are asked to apply for the program, in addition to a regular application to Montana Tech, high school transcript, résumé, and written responses to essay questions.
This year’s essay questions include:
- What is your understanding of the role of the professional nurse and why have you chosen to pursue nursing as a career at Montana Technological University?
- What are your views on rural health? Would you ever consider working in a rural area?
- Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution, or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?
- Do you have any experience in healthcare or with patient care (such as volunteer opportunities, job shadowing, employment etc). Please describe.
- Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for the Nursing Scholars Edge Program?
Applications to the Nursing Scholars Edge Program open September 3,2024. The deadline to submit is 4 p.m. on January 15, 2025. Questions? Email nursing@mtech.edu. Click here to view the Nursing Scholars Edge website.
Montana Tech’s general acceptance application can be found here. Students must be admitted to the university first in order to be accepted into the Nursing Scholars Edge Program.