Many future nurses get their start at Crafton Hills College (CHC), earning their Associate in Science in Health Sciences degree — just ask Amanda Edwards and Quintus Cerrillo.

Both Edwards and Cerrillo are CHC alumni who started their academic careers at the Yucaipa college. After they earned their prerequisites at CHC, they moved to four-year universities and completed their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.

Registration is now open for CHC’s fall classes, which start August 16, and, according to Director of Institutional Advancement Michelle Riggs, there has been an increased demand for the health science program this year.

“Nursing is always the biggest inquiry we get at CHC, but this year we have seen tremendous interest in our health sciences program for fall 2021,” Riggs said. “I think previously many people didn’t know that you could get all of your nursing prerequisites here at CHC, but now the secret is out.”

Students who dream of rewarding careers in health care can look to Edwards for inspiration. After graduating from CHC, Edwards moved on to Loma Linda University (LLU), where she graduated Cum Laude and began working in the hospital’s Cancer Center. She is now pursuing her doctorate at LLU, and she credits CHC for helping to put her on a pathway to success.

“The sciences at Crafton are top-notch — area universities, including Loma Linda and the University of California, Riverside, look to Crafton students and can expect that they are well-prepared for their programs,” she said. “Medicine, Nursing, Radiology and other highly impacted programs and fields require the critical thinking and preparation that CHC provides.”

Cerrillo, who also graduated Cum Laude from his bachelor's program, agreed.

“CHC really prepared me for my future. The staff was amazing,” Cerillo said. “The best education I received was from my CHC instructional staff. Those courses built a foundation of knowledge that prepared me to excel in a nursing program.”

The Associate in Science in Health Sciences degree can lead to other rewarding careers in medicine, including dental hygienist, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, physician assistant, and many more.

“The Health Science program at CHC really is a great pathway to a ton of incredible opportunities in health care,” Riggs said. “It’s a great choice for a student who is caring and wants to promote health and serve their community.”

Registration for fall 2021 has already started, and many students have already begun enrolling in the health sciences program. CHC students can access many perks that are included with their tuition, including free tutoring in all subjects, bus transportation, Wi-Fi hotspots, and Chromebooks available for check out. Most classes and services will be offered on campus, although there are hybrid and online classes available at CHC for the fall semester as well.

For those interested in learning more about how to get their start toward a nursing career, visit Crafton Hills College.