Edison College ranked as top producer of Associate's Degrees

Community College Week magazine named Edison College one of the nation's top producers of associate degrees in its June 16 issue. Among the 2,743 colleges offering associate degrees in the United States, Edison ranked 13th in nursing, 39th in health professions, 68th in all disciplines (non minority) and 90th in all disciplines.

Dr. Robert Beeson, Vice President of the A.A. program and District Dean of Instruction, says the associate program is a focal point at Edison. Founded in 1961 as Edison Junior College, the school began offering baccalaureate degrees in addition to its associate degrees in 2000. Still, associate's degree seeking students make up two-thirds of the college's enrollment today. Of these, half are full time and half part time, with those numbers split equally between day and night time classes. Most students who receive an A.A. continue on to earn a four-year degree.

"For many students right out of high school, two-year blocks of time are more manageable than four-year blocks," says Beeson. The dean, who started with an A.A. himself, says working towards an associate's degree is the right starting point for some. "Students can get lost in the journey of a four-year university."

Graduates who receive an associate's degree from Edison are guaranteed admission at one of the eleven schools in the state of Florida's public university system.

Of the associate's degrees offered at Edison, the Associate in Science nursing program produces the most graduates. The two-year program focuses heavily on clinical experience, and students that pass the national nursing exam become registered nurses. Graduates of the nursing program are well received by local hospitals: 90 percent find jobs within the five-county area Edison serves. Twothirds of new nurses hired at Lee Memorial hospital come from Edison.

The demographics of Southwest Florida, namely the aging population, create a steady demand for nurses in this area. With the recent downturn in the housing and real estate markets, more people are turning to jobs in healthcare.

"Many people are choosing nursing as a second career," says Dr. Mary Lewis, Edison's District Associate Dean of Health Professions and Director of Nursing. The average age of students in the program is 35.

James Leavor, 29, is considering making the transition to nursing. Leavor has a degree in biology and currently works for the state of Florida. He likes the clinical focus of the A.S. degree and the way the Edison program focuses on patient care. Also, for someone with a full forty-hour work week, the structure of the evening program is appealing. Classes run two nights a week with clinical experience on Saturdays.

"Originally, I was looking at different programs, including the bachelor's at FGCU," says Leavor. "But, with those, I couldn't have a full time job and go to school."

Lewis says this is one of the keys to the success of Edison's associate degree programs. "They are affordable and flexible. It's a wonderful opportunity for people to go to school in the community."