This fall Mesa State College will be expanding its nursing program. Most of the health care facilities in Grand Junction rely heavily on the nurses who graduate from the nursing program at Mesa State College.

Back in the 1990s Mesa State cut its nursing program due to the lack of demand for nurses. But after fear of a shortage in Grand Junction,
Mesa State College's nursing program received several grants from the government and local facilities in order to expand their program.

Starting this fall, the school will be adding a LPN program to its curriculum. So now students can become a nurse in three different ways: through a bachelor of science degree, or by becoming a licensed practical nurse or a registered nurse.

The average age group is 24 to 26 that is applying to be in the nursing program, which is encouraging because the average age of a nurse in Colorado is 47 years old.