The 2025 graduates of the Practical Nursing program at the University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology-McGehee recently achieved a 100% first-attempt pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses, marking the third consecutive year every graduate has passed the exam on the first try.
Members of the December 2025 cohort include Maria Avila, Melanie Barajas, Kennedi Bledsoe, Emmaleigh Branch, Megan Forrest, Carmen Fourie, Zoe Humphries, Kanesia Pitts, Monisha Williams and Halle Wilson.
Paisley Owyoung, director of Allied Health at UAM-CTM, praised both the students and faculty for the accomplishment.
“We are incredibly proud of our students for their dedication, resilience and unwavering commitment to excellence,” Owyoung said. “Their success on the NCLEX is a direct reflection of their hard work and perseverance, as well as the outstanding nursing faculty who invest their time, expertise and mentorship into every student. This achievement speaks to both the determination of our graduates and the exceptional quality of our nursing program.”
The Practical Nursing program at UAM-CTM is a 12-month course requiring 42 credit hours for completion. Students complete more than 800 hours of clinical work in a variety of health care settings. Clinicals are supervised sessions that allow students to apply classroom instruction in real-world environments.
The program has also received statewide recognition. PracticalNursing.org named UAM-CTM the top practical nursing program in Arkansas for five consecutive years, from 2021 to 2025. The ranking is based on multiple factors, including first-time NCLEX pass rates and overall program performance in preparing students for licensure and professional practice.
For more information about the Practical Nursing program at UAM-CTM, contact Owyoung at [email protected] or 870-460-2124.
