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| For Immediate Release | Contact: Frances Squire |
| May 20, 2008 | Phone: (559) 934-2134 |
Director Named for New West Hills College Lemoore RN Program
Charles Freeman, a registered nurse with 30 years of experience in hospital nursing and nurse education, has accepted the position as the first director of nursing at West Hills College Lemoore.
Formerly an instructor in the Fresno City College nursing program, Freeman joined West Hills in early May, according to WHCL President Don Warkentin.
West Hills has partnered for several years with Fresno City College and Bakersfield College to host a satellite RN program.
WHCL is prepared to begin its first free-standing class of RN instruction in August, pending approval of the program by the Western Association of Colleges and Universities.
The State Board of Registered Nurses gave a green light to the program during the spring and the application deadline for the first class of 24 students was in mid-April.
There were 86 qualified applications for the program. Applicants will be notified by late June about their acceptance status.
Freeman is a graduate of Fresno City College and holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Humboldt State and a master’s in nursing from Fresno State.
He began his career on the medical surgical staff at Fresno Community Hospital in 1977 and ventured into teaching with the hospital in 1980.
Freeman started teaching at Fresno City in 1985 while he continued to serve at area hospitals.
He served as assistant director and department chair of the Fresno City nursing program from 2004-2006.
In addition to offering the RN program at WHCL, several other health career programs are offered in West Hills Community College District.
At West Hills College Coalinga, a one-year training program for psychiatric technicians is offered.
A nurse assistant program is offered throughout the district on a rotating basis and emergency medical technician training is also offered.
Those interested in a career in the health field can visit the college website at westhillscollege.com.
Information on the RN program is at http://www.westhillscollege.com/lemoore/academics/health/index.asp.
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West Hills Community College District serves the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and is part of the California Community College System. Its two colleges, West Hills College Coalinga, which includes North District Center, Firebaugh, and West Hills College Lemoore, serve more than 6,000 students on campus and online each semester.