Prairie State College Launches Evening Nursing Program to Meet Workforce Demand (Chicago Heights, IL) – Prairie State College has expanded its nursing program with the launch of its first evening cohort, offering new flexibility for working adults pursuing careers in healthcare.
The program debuted this semester with 22 students, filling every available seat. Classes meet during evening hours, with clinical rotations held on weekends—an option designed for students balancing full-time jobs or family responsibilities.
PSC Director of Nursing Antigone Kokalias said the decision to offer evening courses stemmed from input gathered from prospective students and community partners.
“Adding an evening option gives more people the chance to enter the nursing field who might not have been able to before,” Kokalias said. “The demand clearly shows this was the right move.”
The addition boosts the program’s overall capacity by 25 percent, bringing the total number of nursing students to 110 per graduating class. PSC officials say the expansion comes at a time when hospitals and clinics across Illinois continue to face a shortage of qualified nurses.
The college emphasized that the evening cohort maintains the same standards as the daytime program, with instruction delivered by faculty who bring extensive clinical experience to the classroom.
PSC’s nursing program has reported strong recent outcomes, including:
- 94% first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)
- 100% overall NCLEX pass rate for the most recent graduating class
- No waitlist for program entry
- Goal of 85% job placement within one year of graduation
Prairie State College is currently accepting students for prerequisite courses in the Spring 2026 semester. Registration opens October 27.
More information about the nursing program is available on the PSC website.
Prairie State College Launches Evening Nursing Program to Meet Workforce Demand
