Expanding Excellence in Nursing

SALINAS, CA— Hartnell College and Salinas Valley Health marked National Nurses Day with the announcement of a major expansion of their more than 20-year partnership, aimed at strengthening the regional nursing workforce and increasing access to healthcare careers for local students. 

The expansion includes a 1.5 million, three-year investment from Salinas Valley Health, building on a previous $3 million contribution to support Hartnell College’s nursing program and expand hands-on clinical training. As part of the effort, nursing student capacity at Hartnell College will increase by 50%, from 50 to 75 students annually.

Through these expanded efforts, both organizations will further bolster the pipeline by increasing access to education, expanding clinical training, and providing students with hands-on experience through simulation labs and direct engagement with healthcare professionals already in the field. 

“Together, we are building a stronger, healthier Salinas Valley,” said Michael Gutierrez, superintendent/president of the Hartnell Community College District. “This work expands opportunity, strengthens our workforce and ensures care reflects the communities we serve. Together, we are supporting economic mobility and building a stronger, healthier future for the Salinas Valley.”

Since 1983, Hartnell has trained 1,592 nurses, with more than 1,200 graduating during the formalized partnership with Salinas Valley Health. Leaders say the expansion responds to a nationwide nursing shortage with a “grow your own” solution. 

“This goes beyond adding seats,” said Robert Muster, interim dean of nursing and health sciences. “We are expanding opportunity and preparing students for stable, high-demand careers right here at home during a time where healthcare workers are needed more than ever.”

Fourth-semester nursing student Valerie Longoria, says the wait to get into nursing schools can be agonizing and she’s excited there will be more opportunities for students like her to follow their calling.

“I am happy to hear that Hartnell College can now accept more students into the program. Resources like this and those of our community show others that everything is possible. Thank you is an understatement, especially for someone like me.”

The collaboration between the two institutions began in 2003 with the launch of the Summer Health Institute, a five-week program designed to introduce high school students to careers in healthcare. To date, the program has produced 458 graduates and continues to serve as an early pipeline into the field. 

“The real impact is in the people living in this community,” said Joel Hernandez, president of the board of directors at Salinas Valley Health. “Some first-generation college students are now in a position to pursue and achieve financial success in a fulfilling career, caring for and serving the communities where they were born and raised.”

Over the years, many participants have continued their education at Hartnell College and gone on to careers with Salinas Valley Health, demonstrating the effectiveness of this collaboration. 

As someone who spent time at Hartnell during Summer Health Institute, Paola Godinez Barba became the first in her family to get a college degree and now works as a nurse at Salinas Valley health.  
 

“Growing up in Salinas, I always wanted to serve others,” she said. “This partnership made becoming a nurse feel possible, and now I’m living that dream.”
 

Leaders from both organizations emphasized that the work is ongoing, and today’s celebration is testament to the positive impact of years of collaboration in creating economic mobility by developing and training pathways to stable, high-demand healthcare careers. 
 

“What truly sets this partnership apart is the level of collaboration between our organizations. This is not just about clinical placements or hiring graduates. It is about working side by side—aligning education with practice, sharing insight, and continuously improving how we prepare the next generation of nurses,” said Carla Spencer, Chief Nursing Officer at Salinas Valley Health. 

She added that graduates enter a nationally recognized environment of excellence.

“We are proud to be Magnet-designated, and most recently Magnet with Distinction, placing us among the top 1% of hospitals for nursing excellence,” Spencer said. “That means our graduates begin their careers in a culture where excellence is lived every day.”

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843