Alumni Reflect on Malcolm X College's Impact During Nurses Week and Beyond

Nurses Week, from May 6 to May 12, celebrates nurses' invaluable contributions to our communities. At City Colleges, we're honored to be the home of exceptional nursing faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Our clinical partnerships, the virtual hospital at Malcolm X College, our transfer partners, and our dual admissions pathway with UIC make us proud.

We offer programs like Basic Nursing Assistant (BNA) and associate in applied science in Nursing to train future nurses, addressing crucial workforce needs. We're also proud of our growth. We're expanding to the South Side to bring Malcolm X College's nursing programs to Kennedy-King College, including associate and licensed practical nursing degrees, proudly shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals. This Nurses Week, two registered nurses and Malcolm X College share the impact of the Malcolm X/UIC dual admission pathway on their nursing journey.

Phylicia Dudley grew up on the west side of Chicago and dreamed of becoming a nurse. She knew Malcolm X College and UIC were schools with great reputations to help her get there.

Phylicia Dudley

She planned to complete her Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) after graduating from the registered nurse associate degree in nursing (RN ADN) program at Malcolm X College. During her time at Malcolm X, she learned she could complete both degrees simultaneously thanks to the college's partnership with UIC and was immediately interested.

Phylicia is now a registered nurse working full-time for Chicago Public Schools as a Health Service Nurse. She coordinates the school's health program ensures the health and wellness of the school's community.

"I had a great experience in both programs," Phylicia said. "I learned the course content I needed to know to be successful on the job, I learned to write and communicate effectively and professionally, and my instructors were so helpful, supportive, and compassionate."

Titilayo Adeyemo

Titilayo Adeyemo had a similar experience when she moved to Chicago from Nigeria and enrolled in Malcolm X College. The opportunity to pursue an associate and bachelor's degree at the same time through the Malcolm X/UIC Nursing dual admission pathway was attractive and attending a community college made smart financial sense.

"I am grateful to both Malcolm X and UIC for helping me reach my goals," Titilayo said. "I am currently employed as a psychiatric/ICU nurse at St. Joseph Hospital while pursuing my RN-BSN."

Malcolm X College nursing students are guided by faculty, staff, and administration with industry experience-about 75 of them are nurses.

Associate Dean of Nursing at Malcolm X Tanisha Rufus is proud to hear stories like Titilayo and Phylicia's because they illustrate that the program is reaching its intended goals.

"We prepare students for nursing careers by intentionally providing a quality educational experience across all our programs," Dean Rufus said.