50,000 Nurses and Counting: Galen College of Nursing Marks Historic Milestone

With the April 2026 commencement ceremonies, Galen College is celebrating 50,543 graduates.

LOUISVILLE, KY, UNITED STATES, May 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- With its April 2026 graduation ceremonies, Galen College of Nursing has officially surpassed a historic milestone with 50,543 graduates since the college’s founding. Today, we celebrate the achievements of thousands of nurses whose education began and advanced at Galen and now extends into communities across the country.

“Reaching 50,543 graduates is a remarkable achievement for Galen faculty and staff,” said Mark Vogt, CEO of Galen College of Nursing. “Each graduate represents a nurse who is prepared to deliver high‑quality, compassionate care and to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. We are incredibly proud of the role Galen plays in strengthening the nursing workforce.”

That role is more vital than ever, with the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projecting a shortage of nearly 64,000 full-time RNs by 2030. That figure is projected to rise as the baby boomer generation inches towards retirement, driving a sustained increase in the demand for a larger healthcare workforce. As a proud part of the HCA Healthcare family, Galen is dedicated to expanding access to high-quality nursing education and bringing more qualified caregivers to the bedside.

“Our more than 50,000 graduates are the embodiment of Galen’s commitment to excellence in nursing education,” said Erica Rossitto, senior vice president and chief nurse executive at HCA Healthcare. “From a student’s first day, our focus is on developing competent, confident, and compassionate nurses who are prepared for practice. This milestone is not just about growth, it’s about impact.”

Founded in Louisville, Kentucky in 1989, Galen began as a single‑campus nursing school and steadily expanded to five campuses before joining the HCA Healthcare family in 2020. Since that time, the college has experienced significant growth and now serves more than 19,000 students at 25 campuses in 13 states and online.

Galen College of Nursing offers associate and baccalaureate degree programs, as well as practical and vocational nursing (PN/VN) programs. In addition, Galen provides access to fully online RN to BSN, master’s and doctoral degree program.

As Galen and HCA Healthcare celebrate this historic moment, the college remains focused on the future—continuing to expand access to innovative nursing education, supporting student success, and helping address the nation’s ongoing need for competent, confident, compassionate nurses.

About Galen College of Nursing
Founded more than 35 years ago, Galen College of Nursing is one of the largest private nursing schools in the United States. With a focus solely on nursing education and a mission to expand access to nursing education, the College offers doctorate, masters, baccalaureate and associate degree education and practical/vocational nursing (PN/VN) programs to more than 19,000 students on its 25 campuses across the United States and Online. Galen is accredited by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. For more information about Galen College of Nursing, visit galencollege.edu.

About HCA Healthcare
Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services comprising 190 hospitals and approximately 2,500 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 19 states and the United Kingdom. With its founding in 1968, HCA Healthcare created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care and improve the practice of medicine. HCA Healthcare has conducted a number of clinical studies, including one that demonstrated that full-term delivery is healthier than early elective delivery of babies and another that identified a clinical protocol that can reduce bloodstream infections in ICU patients by 44%. HCA Healthcare is a learning health system that uses its approximately 44 million annual patient encounters to advance science, improve patient care and save lives.

Kenneth Conklin
Galen College of Nursing
+1 502-471-7398
email us here

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