Cayuga Community College's nursing program has graduated more than 1,950 students since its first class finished in 1976, a milestone the college and its foundation marked Oct. 14 at Emerson Park in Auburn.
Faculty, students, alumni and supporters joined college President Brian Durant, foundation Executive Director Guy Cosentino and Nursing Division Chair Mary Driscoll at the 50th-anniversary celebration. The college opened the program in 1974 after a local hospital's nursing program closed two years earlier.
Durant credited faculty, students and graduates for the program's longevity and said its graduates care for patients in the community. Cosentino said the program has shaped careers and served patients and families over five decades. Driscoll said instruction emphasizes patient advocacy as well as clinical care.
Program expanded to Fulton and a spring cohort
Cayuga added the nursing program at its Fulton campus in 2007 as demand for trained nurses grew. The Fulton program eventually began accepting 24 students each fall, with evening and weekend courses intended to accommodate students' schedules.
The college announced a spring nursing cohort in 2025. Students entered in spring 2026, continued classes through the summer and are on track to graduate in 2027.
The nursing curriculum combines classroom theory and clinical skills with experience caring for patients of different ages. Cayuga said it also teaches professional standards, leadership, communication and the use of medical technology across health care settings.
College cites exam results
The program is recognized by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Cayuga said 98% of its graduates passed the NCLEX licensing examination on their first attempt over the past decade, including five years when all graduates passed on the first try.
The college says its graduates have found nursing jobs soon after finishing the program. Prospective students can find nursing admissions information on Cayuga's website.
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