Hill College Nursing Program celebrates 50 years

  Lizza Ross
  Friday, April 11, 2025 1:41 PM
  Academics

Hillsboro, TX

This year, Hill College’s Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) Program celebrates its 50th anniversary.

In 1975, under the direction of Dr. Oran B. “Red” Bailey, the Hill College LVN Program was formed at the Hill County Campus in collaboration with the Grant-Buie Hospital, built in 1961 and named in part by Dr. James Morgan Buie, a former Hillsboro Junior College graduate, who became a physician and mayor of Hillsboro from 1960–62. In 1976, the college expanded the program in Cleburne, Texas, at the Johnson County Memorial Hospital. By 1983, enrollment at the Johnson County Campus (JCC) in Cleburne had grown, including the number of students wanting to enroll in the LVN program.

Since then, the LVN Program has flourished. In 1992, the enrollment at JCC continued to grow, leading to the expansion of the campus, which is now one of the primary campuses for the LVN program.

In 2006, the Hill College Board of Trustees approved the LVN-RN (Registered Nurse) to ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) Program. In 2007, the paramedic to RN transition track was implemented; and in 2010 a general ADN program was added, allowing students to become registered nurses with an associate degree. Since 1995, nearly 1,400 students have graduated.

Over the last 10 years, the program has enjoyed an average of a 96% percent pass rate, achieving a 100% pass rate for six of those years, including the class of 2024. Currently, cohorts have been running simultaneously at both the Cleburne and Hill County campuses. Beginning this summer, they will start rotating every two years between the two campuses to better accommodate the program and offset accommodations for the ADN Program.

In 2024, the Nursing Schools Almanac ranked the Hill College LVN Program ninth in Texas, which is based on the program’s pass rate of the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), a testament to the program’s dedication to excellence.

In 2025, Hailey Kirkpatrick was named the vocational nursing director/coordinator. “As the new director of the LVN Program, I’m excited to continue the tradition of excellence that’s been built over the past 50 years. My goal is to 

maintain the high standards of education, hands-on experience, and compassionate care that have always made this program special. I’m here to ensure that each student receives the support they need to succeed, building on the solid foundation we’ve established while preparing them for the future of healthcare,” said Kirkpatrick.

Licensed vocational nurses provide frontline patient care under the supervision of surgeons, physicians, and registered nurses. They are vital professionals in the medical industry and provide life-saving services.

Registration for the next graduating class at the Johnson County Campus is open, closing on July 1, 2025. Classes begin in August. For more information on the Nursing Program at Hill College, visit hillcollege.edu or contact nursing@hillcollege.edu.