March 27, 2025
Trine University and Freedom Academy are partnering to offer adult learners a path to advanced nursing degrees.
Through the partnership, those who earn Nurse Aide certification through Freedom Academy will receive expedited admission into Trine University’s pre-nursing pathway.
To be eligible to apply for one of 20 available seats in the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program, students must successfully complete College Composition, a math elective and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy & Physiology I and score Proficient or higher on the ATI TEAS test. Admission into the ASN program is competitive and requires a separate application process.
Upon completing the ASN, students can continue on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing through Trine if they choose.
“We are excited to provide opportunities in nursing to our students wishing to further their training and education,” said Melissa Carpenter, director of Freedom Academy. “With this partnership, we will provide a pathway for students to pursue their passion and goals.”
Kim Bennett, vice president for enrollment management at Trine, said the partnership is a win for all involved and for the region as a whole, benefitting students seeking to enhance their career skills and healthcare employers that need skilled workers.
The partnership will produce higher-skilled, higher-paid workers who will contribute to the regional economy and their communities while providing quality healthcare for area residents.
“We are thrilled to partner with Freedom Academy to provide more opportunities for aspiring nurses in Northeast Indiana,” said Kim Bennett, vice president for enrollment management at Trine. “By creating this structured pathway, we are helping adult learners take the next step in their nursing careers while also addressing the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals in our region.”
More information about the partnership is available at trine.edu/freedom.
Freedom Academy is a private, non-profit workforce development training organization that provides high-quality, practical, relevant, hands-on, cost-effective training and education in advanced manufacturing, healthcare and professional services. Freedom Academy courses are held in Allen, Adams, DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties in Northeast Indiana.
Steve Faramelli, creative media specialist in the Office of University Marketing and Communications at Trine University, received a 2024-2025 Best of CASE District V award for a hockey media guide cover he designed.
Members of Trine University’s student chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), alongside faculty and students from the McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, brought hands-on science to life for more than 140 Girl Scouts during the recent STEM Expo hosted by Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana–Michiana.
The cast of the Trine University Theatre production of “Murder on the Orient Express” poses on the stage of the Ryan Concert Hall in the T. Furth Center for Performing Arts.